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^11 


OF  THE 


fy 


[UNIVERSITY] 


They  overheard  one  of  these  boys  remark  sneeringly  to  the' 
teacher,  there  go  the  Saints."  p.  31. 


ALICE  ROSEDALE, 


POWER 


CONSISTENT  CHRISTIAN  LIFE. 


BY 
Mrs.  CAROLINE  L.  BLAKE. 


UBQ 


OF  THB 


NIVERSITY' 


PHILADELPHIA  : 

PRESBYTERIAN  BOARD    OF    PUBLICATION. 

NO.  821  CHESTNUT  STREET. 


JB5 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  CoDgress,  in  the  year  1860,  by 

JAMES  DUNLAP,  Treas., 

in  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  for  the  Eastern  District 
of  Pennsylvania. 


^  r/^/ 


eiERKOTTFED  BT  WILLIAM  W.  HARDING,  PHILADELPmA. 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  I. 

PAGB 

Home  Influences 5 

CHAPTEE  II. 
Youthful  Days 41 

CH^ASTER  III. 
Afflictions  and  Duties 74 

CHAPTER  lY. 
A  New  Sphere  of  Action 107 

CHAPTER  Y. 
Missionary  Labour  at  Home 137 

CHAPTER  YI. 
Conclusion 165 

(3) 


0¥  THE 


fUNIVEESITY 
ALICE  ROSEDALE. 


CHAPTER    I. 
HOME   INFLUENCES. 

J^ESTLED  down  amid  embowering 
shrubbery  and  over-hanging  trees, 
near  the  margin  of  a  crystal  stream- 
let, stood  the  substantial  farm  house 
at  Riverside,  in  which  the  little 
Alice  Rosedale  first  opened  her  blue 
eyes  to  the  light  of  day. 

Onward  through  the  valley  the 

windings  of  the  silver  stream  were 

marked  by  rich   and  fertile  vales, 

while  in  the  blue  distance  the  cloud- 
1*  (5) 


6  ALICE   ROSEDALE. 

capped  summits  of  lofty  mountains 
embraced  the  azure  sky. 

Nature  had  been  lavish  of  its 
charms  around  her  quiet  home,  and 
from  her  earliest  childhood  Alice 
had  a  just  appreciation  of  the  beau- 
tiful. Long  before  she  learned  to 
look  "  through  nature  up  to  nature's 
God,"  she  had  often  felt  the  deepest 
admiration  in  gazing  upon  the  starry 
heavens,  and  the  ever  varying  beau- 
ties of  earth.  Her  mother  was  a 
devoted  follower  of  the  meek  and 
lowly  Jesus.  Prayerfully  she  re- 
ceived this  child  as  from  the  Lord, 
and  most  earnestly  she  desired  that 
her  life  might  be  devoted  to  his 
service.  When  in  her  youthful  days 
Mrs.  Rosedale  accompanied  her  hus- 
band to  the  beautiful  home  we  have 


HOME   INFLUENCES.  7 

described,  she  saw  not  a  Father's 
hand  in  all  her  joy,  for  she  was  without 
God  and  without  hope  in  the  world ; 
but  affliction  came — the  lovely  babe 
which  was  first  sent  to  gladden  her 
heart  sickened  and  died,  and  then 
in  the  darkness  and  agony  of  her 
crushing  sorrow  she  found  she  had 
not  made  provision  for  the  hour  of 
adversity.  Her  proud  heart  rebelled 
against  the  hand  which  had  smitten 
her  in  love,  and  she  asked  impa- 
tiently, ''  What  have  I  done  that  I 
should  suffer  thus?"  Like  the 
young  man  in  the  gospel,  she  felt 
that  she  had  kept  the  law  from 
her  youth  ;  and  she  had  been  so  long 
accustomed  to  compare  her  outward 
conduct  with  that  of  other  people, 
and   especially  with   that  of  some 


8  ALICE   ROSEDALE. 

professing  Christians,  and  had  felt 
so  confident  that  she  was  not  a  great 
sinner,  that  her  conscience  had 
almost  ceased  to  trouble  her,  and 
3he  felt  sure  of  heaven.  Many  de- 
ceive themselves  in  this  fearful 
manner,  until  the  grave  opens  be- 
fore them ;  but  Mrs.  Rosedale  was 
most  mercifully  aroused  to  see  her 
character  in  its  true  light.  The 
Holy  Spirit  was  striving  with  her 
to  convince  her  of  sin  ;  and  one  eve- 
ning, as  she  was  reading  the  sermon 
on  the  mount,  the  truth  reached 
her  heart,  and  she  saw  herself,  in 
the  light  of  that  sacred  moral  code, 
a  lost  and  ruined  sinner.  This 
conviction  was  so  deep  and  abiding 
that  she  almost  despaired  of  inercy  ; 
yet  in  the  depth  of  her  anguish  she 


HOME   IJS^FLUENCES.  9 

was  assisted  to  grasp  the  only  link 
connecting  us  with  heaven,  salvation 
through  the  atonement  of  the  great 
Sacrifice.  Then  old  things  passed 
away,  all  things  became  new,  and 
Mrs.  Ro^edale  was  a  changed  being. 
Henceforth  everything  was  regarded 
in  the  light  of  eternity,  and  all  that 
she  did  she  endeavoured  to  do  for 
the  glory  of  Grod.  Her  companion 
was  a  man  of  business — a  man  of 
the  world.  He  could  not  understand 
the  change  that  had  taken  place  in 
his  wife,  and  her  faithful  efforts  for 
his  best  good  were  extremely  annoy- 
ing to  him,  therefore  she  ceased  to 
speak  to  him  upon  the  subject  nearest 
her  heart,  but,  often  did  the  silent 
midnight  witness  most  fervent 
prayers   for  his  conversion.     Alice 


10  ALICE   ROSEDALE. 

Rosedale  was  indeed  favoured  above 
most  cliildren  in  the  faithful  instruc- 
tions of  such  a  mother.  To  her 
infant  mind  right  views  of  life  were 
given,  of  the  life  that  now  is  and  of 
that  which  is  to  come.  Daily  her 
mother  took  her  away  to  her  quiet 
chamber  and  commended  her  in 
prayer  to  God.  It  seems  compara- 
tively easy  for  the  min d  of  a  child  to  be 
drawn  by  the  cords  of  love  to  Christ, 
because  bad  habits  h  ave  far  less  power 
to  influence  than  in  after  years. 
Many  times  in  her  childhood,  Alice 
was  almost  persuaded  to  be  a  Chris- 
tian ;  she  could  see,  even  then,  the 
beauty  and  consistency  of  her 
mother's  example;  she  knew  that 
her  mother  had  some  rich  source  of 
happiness  of  which  she  was  ignorant; 


HOME  influe:n^ces.  11 

she  longed  to  experience  its  rich- 
ness, but  there  was  a  serious  obstacle 
in  the  way.  Her  father  was  a  wise 
man,  much  older  than  herself ;  why, 
if  religion  was  so  important  a  matter, 
was  he  riot  interested  in  it  as  well 
as  her  mother?  This  was  the 
question  that  arose  in  her  childish 
mind,  and  it  was  perfectly  natural. 
Mr.  Rosedale  believed  that  in  per- 
mitting his  wife  and  daughter  to 
attend  church,  and  in  allowing  them 
to  pursue  their  own  course  undis- 
turbed, he  was  placing  no  barrier  in 
the  way  of  the  religious  education  of 
his  children.  He  admired  his  wife's 
consistency,  and  would  have  been 
pleased  to  see  his  children  outward- 
ly like  her ;  but,  alas  !  how  potent  is 
example  for  evil  as  well  as  good ! 


12  ALICE   ROSEDALE. 

Over  his  son,  some  few  years  older 
than  Alice,  Mr.  Rosedale's  silent 
influence  was  unbounded.  He  early 
tore  himself  away  from  his  mother's 
faithful  instructions,  and  thought  it 
was  beneath  the  dignity  of  man  to 
study  those  things  into  which  angels 
desire  to  look. 

In  the  commencement  of  her 
fourth  summer,  Alice  attended  a 
private  school  taught  by  a  young 
lady  of  great  intelligence  and  piety, 
whose  delight  it  was  to  direct  the 
youthful  minds  entrusted  to  her 
care  in  the  path  of  true  wisdom. 

The  little  girl  became  most  ten- 
derly attached  to  this  teacher,  and 
so  rapid  was  her  progress  in  the 
rudiments  of  her  education,  that  she 
soon    excelled    her  youthful   com- 


HOME   INFLUENCES.  13 

panions.  At  the  same  time  her 
disposition  appeared  so  very  ami- 
able that  soon  those  who  were  best 
acquainted  with  her  saw  little  to  re- 
gret in  her  character,  and  she 
frequently  heard  herself  spoken  of 
in  the  most  flattering  terms  by  in- 
discreet persons  conversing  in  her 
presence.  Yet  even  then  the  child 
felt  something  of  the  hidden  evil  of 
her  own  heart,  she  knew  that  it  was 
not  right  in  the  sight  of  Grod. 
Sometimes  thoughts  of  her  unfitness 
for  the  blessedness  of  heaven  would 
make  her  weep,  and  at  such  seasons 
she  poured  her  sorrows  into  the 
listening  ear  of  her  mother,  who  en- 
deavoured to  direct  her  precious 
child  to  Him,  who  said,  ^^  Suffer 
little  children  to  come  unto  me  and 


14  ALICE   ROSEDALE. 

forbid  them  not,  for  of  such  is  the 
kingdom  of  heaven." 

Yet  these  serious  impressions 
passed  away  as  the  morning  dew, 
and  she  entered  with  eagerness  into 
those  giddy  sports  which  even  in 
little  children  cannot  be  called  in- 
nocent. One  of  these  consisted  in 
listening  to  immoral  stories  which 
she  knew  to  be  false,  told  for  the 
amusement  of  her  schoolmates  by 
the  oldest  girl  in  school,  a  miss  of 
fourteen.  Alice  had  been  so  well 
instructed  in  these  matters  that  she 
knew  it  to  be  wrong,  and  yet  she  did 
not  tear  herself  away  from  the  fas- 
cinating influence  of  that  bad  girl, 
whose  power  of  deception  com- 
pletely blinded  her  teacher  in  re- 
gard to  her  real  character.    This 


HOME   INFI(p^]|f  J^  IT.  I?.  £3  T  i 

seemingly  trivial  cirot^^iance  was 
a  serious  hindrance  to  Alice ;  for 
even  in  after  years,  when  she  was 
striving  to  lead  a  godly  life,  these 
*'  evil  communications"  frequently 
arose  in  her  mind  to  her  inexpres- 
sible sorrow.  At  ten  years  of  age 
Alice  was  sent  to  the  public  school 
at  the  distance  of  a  mile  from  her 
home,  where  her  associates  were  all 
the  children  of  the  village.  Great 
pains  were  usually  taken  to  supply 
well  educated  teachers  for  this 
school,  but,  as  there  was  great 
diversity  of  opinion  in  regard  to 
religious  matters,  it  was  frequently 
the  case  that  unprincipled  young 
men  and  women  were  employed. 

Frequent     changes    were    great 
drawbacks   to  the  progress  of  the 


16  ALICE   ROSEDALE. 

youth  in  their  studies,  yet  the  really 
earnest  and  industrious  pupil  could 
find  sufficient  assistance  in  this  pub- 
lic school  to  become  well  instructed 
in  common  English  branches. 

Alice  was  a  studious  little  girl, 
and,  as  before,  her  progress  was  very 
rapid.  Her  tasks  were  thoroughly 
committed  in  less  than  half  the 
time  required  by  other  members 
of  the  same  class.  In  consequence 
of  this,  much  unemployed  time  re- 
mained, which  was  a  fruitful  source 
of  evil  to  a  child  of  active  tempera- 
ment ;  and,  unless  particular  pains 
were  taken  to  occupy  these  intervals 
of  leisure,  the  wise  saying  of  Dr. 
W  atts  was  sometimes  verified  : 

"  Satan  finds  some  mischief  stiU 
For  idle  hands  to  do." 


HOME   INFLUENCES.  17 

Some  of  the  teachers  well  under- 
stood this  principle,  and  took  a  very 
wise  course  in  relation  to  their 
precocious  little  pupil.  They  allowed 
her  to  hear  the  recitations  of  the 
lower  classes  in  one  of  the  adjacent 
rooms,  and  thus  early  commenced 
her  preparation  for  the  duties  of  a 
faithful  teacher. 

Frequently,  during  these  years, 
the  still  small  voice  of  the  Spirit 
was  heard  in  the  mind  of  Alice,  in 
such  passages  as  these,  "  I  love 
them  that  love  me  and  they  that 
seek  me  early  shall  find  me."  "  Re- 
member now  thy  Creator  in  the 
days  of  thy  youth."  Her  conscience 
and  her  intellect  gave  a  hearty  ap- 
proval to  the  duty  of  the  immediate 

consecration  of  her  youthful  heart 
2* 


18  ALICE   ROSEDALE. 

to  the  service  of  Christ,  but  her  in- 
clination induced  her  to  put  it  oflf — 
as  if  a  known  duty  could  be  per- 
formed any  more  easily  to-morrow 
than  to-day — to  procrastinate  in 
this  all-important  matter,  although 
frequently  the  opening  grave  of 
some  young  friend  reminded  her 
that  youth  and  health  were  not 
proof  against  the  destroyer.  At 
the  same  time  she  took  a  sort  of 
pleasure  in  all  religious  exercises,  in 
prayers,  sacred  songs,  and  the  study 
of  the  Scriptures,  in  the  Sabbath- 
school,  where  she  had  a  devoted 
teacher  Avhose  chief  aim  was,  as  it 
ever  should  be,  the  conversion  of 
his  class  ;  and  when  a  new  instructor 
entered  the  village  school,  it  was  a 
great   disappointment  to  her  if  he 


HOME  INFLUENCES.  19 

did  not  open  the  school  with  prayer. 
Many,  knowing  these  circumstances 
would  have  pronounced  her  a 
christian  ;  but  Alice  knew  that  she 
had  never  experienced  that  radical 
change  of  heart,  without  which  no 
one  can  see  the  Lord.  She  was 
exposed  to  temptations  many  and 
great,  for  on  account  of  the  distance 
from  home  she  was  obliged  to  pass 
the  noon  intermissions  at  the  school- 
house,  and  many  other  children  did 
the  same.  The  conduct  and  con- 
versation of  some  of  these  were 
wicked  in  the  extreme,  for  they  were 
away  from  the  watchful  care  of 
parents  and  teachers,  and  seemed 
to  delight  to  give  vent  to  the  pent 
up  depravity  of  their  hearts.  The 
impurity   and   profanity    of    these 


20  ALICE   ROSEDALE. 

children  would  have  silenced  the 
upholder  of  the  native  innocence  of 
man,  and  would  have  been  a  sad 
commentary  on  that  text:  ''They 
go  astray  as  soon  as  they  be  born, 
speaking  lies."  Happy  was  it  for 
Alice  then  that  parental  instruction 
and  example  had,  in  a  measure,  for- 
tified her  for  these  things,  so  that 
disgust  was  produced  in  her  mind 
by  these  exhibitions. 

There  was  a  sweet  friendship  of 
her  early  years  which  claims  notice 
here.  Mary  Allston  was  a  child  of 
quiet,  winning  manners,  of  nearly 
the  same  age  of  Alice,  around  whom, 
almost  from  the  commencement  of 
their  acquaintance,  her  warmest 
aflfections  twined.  Gentle,  unassum- 
ing,  and    far    less    excitable  than 


HOME   INFLUENCES.  21 

Alice,  she  was  a  very  valuable  com- 
panion for  her,  as  Mrs.  Rosedale 
readily  discovered ;  therefore  she 
was  frequently  invited  to  visit  at 
the  farm,  which  was  a  very  easy, 
but  efficient  way  of  conferring  hap- 
piness upon  two  little  girls.  To- 
gether they  studied,  together  they 
roamed  over  hill  and  dale,  together 
they  attended  the  same  class  in  the 
beloved  Sabbath-school ;  conversing 
freely  upon  topics  of  mutual  interest, 
until  they  attained  their  thirteenth 
year.  Then  a  new  era  commenced 
in  their  Hves. 

A  most  interesting  revival  of  re- 
ligion was  in  progress  in  their  native 
place,  and  Mary  and  Alice  were 
made  subjects  of  renewing  grace. 
Alice,  whose  mind  had   ever  been 


22  ALICE   KOSEDALE. 

subject  to  serious  impressions,  was 
first  aroused  to  a  sense  of  the  guilt 
of  her  conduct  in  so  long  resisting 
the  influences  of  the  Spirit,  and  she 
felt  that  it  would  be  perfectly  just 
if  God  should  cast  her  off  for  ever. 
She  became  aware  that  her  heart 
was  not  in  the  state  to  be  capable 
of  entering  with  pleasure  into  the 
employments  of  the  redeemed  in 
heaven,  and  yet  she  feared  exceed- 
ingly that  state  of  hopeless  remorse 
and  agony  of  which  her  present 
feelings  seemed  only  a  slight  fore- 
taste. 

Her  distress  incapacitated  her  for 
her  ordinary  occupations.  At  school 
she  could  only  weep,  and  at  noon 
she  endured  the  taunts  of  her 
wicked  schoolmates,  who  sneeringly 


HOME    INFLUENCES.  23 

proclaimed  that  Alice  Rosedale  had 
turned  saint,  with  hardly  a  percep- 
tion of  their  wanton  cruelty ;  so  much 
was  her  mind  engrossed  with  the  all 
important  subject.  Mary,  for  her 
comfort,  tried  to  repeat  the  cheering 
promises  of  the  gospel,  but  they  fell 
upon  unheeding  ears,  for  she  was 
convinced  they  could  not  be  in- 
tended for  her.  She  returned  home, 
and  entered  her  mother's  chamber 
with  so  heavy  a  step  and  so  sad  a 
countenance  that  Mrs.  Rosedale  was 
seriously  alarmed.  Throwing  her- 
self upon  a  low  ottoman  at  her 
mother's  feet,  she  exclaimed,  ''  Oh 
mother,  I  am  lost !  What  shall  I  do 
to  be  saved  ?"  The  answer  of  Scrip- 
ture rushed  to  the  mother's  lips, 
"  Believe  on  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ 


24  ALICE   ROSEDALE. 

and  thoushalt  be  saved."  ^'  But  can 
he,  will  he  receive  a  poor  sinner 
like  me?"  "Alice,"  said  her  mo- 
ther, "  do  you  believe  me  when  1 
tell  you  that  I  love  you?"  "  How 
can  I  doubt  you  when  you  assure  me 
wdth  your  own  lips?"  replied  the 
daughter.  '*  Then  why  do  you 
doubt  the  very  words  of  Him,  who 
is  infinite  Truth,  '  I  came  not  to 
call  the  righteous  but  sinners  to  re- 
pentance, '  and  '  Him  that  cometh 
to  me  I  will  in  no  wise  cast  out '  "  ? 

Thus  saying,  Mrs.  Rosedale  arose 
and  left  the  room,  closing  the  door 
after  her,  and  in  a  retired  place  not 
far  distant  she  knelt  in  earnest  sup- 
plication for  her  beloved  child. 

Left  alone,  Alice  arose  and  paced 
the  floor  with  great  agitation.     ''  0 


HOME   INF^ENCES>'^'^^^25 

fUNIVEESIT'! 

had  I  regarded  the  t?^n(^  that  belong  >^. 
to  my  peace,"  she  e^laimed,  "I 
should  long  ago  have  been  at  rest, 
but  now  my  unbelieving  heart  will 
not  submit.  There  is  now  but  one 
thing  that  I  can  do,  as  my  last  hope. 
I'll  go  to  Jesus. 

"  I  can  but  perish  if  I  go 

I  am  resolved  to  try, 
For  if  I  stay  away,  I  know 
I  must  for  ever  die." 

Thus  saying,  she  sank  upon  her 
knees,  and  the  prayer  that  jflowed 
from  her  heart,  although  consisting 
only  of  incoherent  petitions  for 
mercy,  was  heard  and  answered. 
There  was  an  entire  surrender  of 
the  will — the  whole  being  to  Christ. 
Then  first  she  saw  the  wondrous 
plan  of  salvation  in  its  true  light, 


26  ALICE   ROSEDALE. 

and   an   almost    ecstatic   joy  took 
possession  of  her  heart. 

"  Her  tongue  broke  out  in  unknown  strains 
And  sung  redeeming  love." 

There  was  joy  in  Mrs.  Rosedale's 
heart  that  night,  such  as  the  world 
can  neither  give  nor  take  away.  At 
a  late  hour  Alice  left  her  mother's 
room,  and  retired  to  her  own  apart- 
ment. The  sweetness  of  acceptance 
with  God  so  irradiated  her  whole 
soul  that  everything  seemed  changed. 
It  was  long  before  she  could  yield 
to  slumber,  and  when  she  awoke  the 
sun  was  shining  brightly  into  her 
room.  She  arose  and  threw  up  the 
casement,  and  there  lay  the  landscape 
with  which  she  had  always  been 
familiar,  bathed  in  the  golden  light 
of  a  bright  June  morning.     She  had 


HOME   INFLUENCES.  27 

thought  it  beautiful  before,  but  then, 
in  the  light  of  her  newly  awakened 
soul,  as  its  glories  burst  upon  her 
view,  she  exclaimed,  ''  0  Lord  our 
God,  how  excellent  is  thy  name  in 
all  the  earth !  The  heavens  are 
thine,  the  earth  also  is  thine.  Let 
the  heavens  rejoice  and  let  the  earth 
be  glad;  let  the  sea  roar  and  the 
fulness  thereof.  ^  Let  the  field  be 
joyful,  and  all  that  is  therein  ;  then 
shall  all  the  trees  of  the  wood  re- 
joice before  the  Lord.  0  come  let 
us  worship  and  bow  down ;  let  us 
kneel  before  the  Lord  our  Maker. 
For  he  is  our  God,  and  we  are  the 
people  of  his  pasture  and  the  sheep 
of  his  hand.  Praise  ye  him,  all  his 
angels  ;  praise  ye  him,  all  his  hosts. 
Praise  ye  him,  sun  and  moon ;  praise 


28  ALICE   ROSEDALE. 

ye  him,  all  ye  stars  of  light.  Praise 
the  Lord  from  the  earth,  ye  dragons 
and  all  deeps ;  fire  and  hail ;  snow 
and  vapour ;  stormy  wind  fulfilling 
his  word ;  mountains,  and  all  hills  ; 
fruitful  trees,  and  all  cedars  ;  beasts 
and  all  cattle ;  creeping  things  and 
flying  fowls  ;  kings  of  the  earth  and 
all  people;  princes  and  all  judges 
of  the  earth ;  both^young  men  and 
maidens ;  old  men  and  children. 
Let  them  praise  the  name  of  the 
Lord ;  for  his  name  alone  is  excellent; 
his  glory  is  above  the  earth  and 
heaven." 

From  this  eventful  period  Alice 
commenced  life  in  earnest.  In  her 
case  the  outward  change  was  not  so 
remarkable  as  it  is  frequently,  be- 
cause   she    had  always   conducted 


HOME   INFLUENCES.  29 

herself  with  great  propriety,  but 
notwithstanding  this,  the  new  birth 
was  not  the  less  real  and  entire. 
Previously  she  had  been  studious 
and  industrious,  because  she  be- 
lieved it  would  please  her  kind 
parent  and  friends;  but  from  the 
hour  of  her  conversion  the  motive 
was  changed  ;  she  laboured  for  the 
glory  of  Grod  and  the  advancement 
of  his  kingdom  on  earth.  At  school 
she  never  commenced  an  exercise 
without  a  silent  prayer  for  the  divine 
blessing,  and  she  was  astonished  to 
find  how  much  her  mind  was 
strengthened  and  refreshed,  by  the 
constant  communion  with  the  Author 
of  all  wisdom.  Her  natural  kind- 
ness of  manner  gave  her  great  power 

over  the  hearts  of  her  companions  ; 
3* 


30  ALICE    ROSEDALE. 

this  talent  she  also  directed  into  the 
same  channel,  and  added  to  her 
affection  for  her  friends  the  most 
earnest  endeavours  for  their  sj)iritual 
good.  In  this  work  her  gentle 
friend,  Mary,  joined  with  her  whole 
heart.  In  her  case  the  light  of  truth 
dawned  faintly  in  her  mind,  and 
brightened  very  gradually,  so  that 
she  could  not  distinguish  the  pre- 
cise time  of  the  change ;  but  she 
could  confidently  say,  with  the  blind 
man,  "  One  thing  I  know,  that 
whereas  I  was  blind  now  I  see." 

These  two  young  Christians  stood 
alone  in  the  school,  and  their  ex- 
ample was  so  conspicuous  that  they 
were  exposed  to  much  persecution 
from  two  youths  of  the  baser  sort, 
who  held  them    up  to  the  ridicule 


HOME   INFLUEIN^CES.  31 

of  the  school  in  the  intermission  at 
noon. 

This  was  no  small  trial  to  ex- 
tremely sensitive  young  ladies  ;  and 
in  the  course  of  the  following  winter 
it  became  almost  intolerable  from 
the  fact  that  they  had  a  teacher,  a 
college  student,  who  sympathized 
with  these  bad  boys.  Out  of  school 
hours  he  was  frequently  heard  to 
blaspheme  the  holy  name,  dearest 
to  the  hearts  of  these  youthful  dis- 
ciples. At  the  close  of  school,  one 
day,  as  Alice  and  Mary  were  cross- 
ing the  playground,  they  overheard 
one  of  these  boys  remark  sneering- 
ly  to  the  teacher,  ''There  go  the 
saints,  it  will  not  do  to  swear  before 
them."  The  teacher  replied  with 
a  horrid  oath,  that  he  would  "^  take 


32  ALICE   ROSEDALE. 

the  hypocrisy  out  of  the  contempt- 
tible  methodists."  Thus  encouraged 
by  one  who  should  have  suppressed 
such  ruffian-like  conduct,  the  rude 
boy  seized  a  snowball  and  hurling 
it  with  all  his  strength  at  the  head 
of  Alice,  broke  into  a  hearty  laugh. 
The  missile  did  not  miss  its  aim,  and 
striking  her  in  the  temple  she  fell 
senseless  to  the  ground.  At  this 
instant  a  strong  man  belonging  to 
the  district,  who  had  been  a  silent 
spectator  of  the  whole  scene  from 
behind  the  fence,  rushed  forward, 
seized  the  fainting  girl  in  his  arms 
and  bore  her  to  his  own  house ;  at 
the  same  time  casting  a  look  of 
withering  scorn  upon  the  man,  who 
was  receiving  wages  for  the  instruc- 
tion of  youth  in  such  deadly  crimes. 


HOME   INFLUENCES.  33 

The  boy  whose  hand  had  done  the 
deed,  which  had  so  seriously  injured 
the  meek  and  patient  girl,  stood  as 
if  petrified  with  horror.  He  noticed 
not  the  cries  of  vengeance  from  the 
excited  children,  he  stirred  not  from 
the  spot.  His  only  thought  was, 
^'  I  have  killed  her."  When  a  mes- 
senger came  to  tell  them  that  Alice 
had  recovered  from  her  swoon  and  did 
not  seem  to  be  seriously  injured,  it 
did  not  much  relieve  his  mind.  He 
knew  that  he  had  hated  her  only 
because  her  consistent  example 
was  a  continual  reproach  to  him. 
His  thoughts  were  altogether  in- 
supportable to  him.  In  the  silence 
of  his  chamber  he  gave  way 
to  the  wildest  expressions  of  an- 
guish.    A  week  later,  when  Alice 


34  ALICE   ROSEDALE. 

met  liim,  pale  from  the  injury,  but 
wearing  a  smile  of  almost  angelic 
sweetness,  and  extending  her  hand 
to  him  remarked,  ^'  You  did  not 
think  it  would  hurt  me  so  much, 
Herbert,"  all  his  fortitude  forsook 
him,  and  he  wept  like  a  child.  It 
was  a  great  struggle  for  that  rough, 
badly  taught  boy  to  ask  forgiveness 
of  a  girl,  but  he  did  it  manfully; 
with  the  deepest  sincerity  and  hu- 
mility, and  when  he  was  assured  it 
was  freely  given,  and  reminded  to 
ask  forgiveness  of  God,  he  exclaimed 
warmly;  "I'll  do  itthis  very  moment, 
0  God  be  merciful  to  me  a  sinner." 
That  prayer  was  answered,  and 
that  rough  boy,  now  a  successful 
minister  of  the  gospel,  commenced 
a  life  of  prayer  from  that  very  hour. 


HOME   INFLUENCES.  35 

li  T\  perhaps  needless  to  say  that 
tbo  i  amoral  teacher  was  immedi- 
ately iismissed,  and  another  pro- 
cured whose  influence  was  salutary 
upon  the  school.  As  the  winter 
wore  away,  a  shade  came  over  the 
brig]  tness  of  the  earthly  friendship 
of  A  Jice  and  Mary,  for  the  latter, 
never  very  strong,  was  rapidly  de- 
clim/ig  in  strength,  and  was  fully 
awa.  e  that  she  was  passing  away. 
Very  precious  were  their  commun- 
ings upon  the  better  world,  yet  so 
painful  was  the  thought  of  separa- 
tion to  Alice  that,  but  for  her  trust 
in  Grod,  she  felt  she  could  not  en- 
dure it. 

"  How  can  I  live  without  you, 
dear  Mary?"  said  she  one  day,  as 
they  sat  with  clasped  hands  in  the 


36  ALICE   EOSEDALE. 

home  of  the  latter.  ''  Dear  Alice," 
replied  her  companion,  ^'  God  will 
take  me  away  that  he  may  draw 
you  more  closely  to  himself."  And 
then,  in  a  little  while  you  will  come 
home  too  ;  and  oh !  the  glory  of  that 
world,  it  is  so  dazzlingly  bright,  and 
it  will  be  so  sweet  to  be  with  Jesus, 
to  see  him  face  to  face,  that  my 
spirit  longs  and  faints  to  be  there! 
You  would  not  detain  me,  my  much 
loved  friend  in  this  world  of  pain 
and  sorrow?" 

'^0  no !  my  Mary,  I  feel  that  I 
would  be  selfish  in  the  extreme  to 
do  so  ;  still  I  am  weak,  and  you  have 
so  helped  me  in  my  Christian  course 
that  I  know  not  how  I  shall  stand 
alone." 

*^  Jesus    will  be    your  strength, 


HOME   INFLUEjS^CES.  37 

your  all  sufficient  aid.  Trust  no 
longer  in  any  arm  of  flesh — in  the 
Lord  Jehovah  is  everlasting  strength . 
Adieu,  dear  Alice,  I  am  weak  and 
weary,  but  I  am  going  home  where 
weakness  and  weariness  are  never 
known.  May  our  Saviour  watch 
over  us  while  we  are  absent  from 
one  another."  Pressing  a  warm 
kiss  upon  the  lips  of  her  friend, 
Alice  left  the  room  in  silence.  Her 
emotions  were  too  deep  for  utterance. 
It  was  a  long  farewell,  for  ere  the 
sun  illumined  the  eastern  sky,  the 
ransomed  spirit  of  Mary  Alls- 
ton  ascended  to  her  heavenly  home. 

"  Tor  ever  with  the  Lord  ! 
Amen,  so  let  it  be  ; 
Life  from  the  dead  is  in  that  word, 
'Tis  immortality." 


38  ALICE   KOSEDALE. 

This  bereavement  fell  at  first  as 
a  crushing  weight  upon  Alice.  Her 
extremely  sensitive  mind  clothed 
all  things — the  fresh  beauties  of 
opening  spring,  the  songs  of  war- 
bling birds  and  all  the  sweet  influ- 
ences of  nature,  in  the  deepest 
mourning.  She  believed  that  she 
could  never  be  cheerful  again.  Her 
watchful  mother  saw  her  grief,  and 
faithfully  warned  her  against  its 
unlimited  indulgence.  She  re- 
minded her  of  the  great  reason  she 
had  for  gratitude  to  her  heavenly 
Father  that  he  had  dealt  so  gently 
with  her  young  friend  during  her 
life,  and  that  he  had  early  removed 
her  from  the  snares  of  earth.  It 
was  long  ere  Alice  regained  her 
wonted    composure,    but    in    this 


HOME   INFLUENCES.  39 

affliction  she  richly  experienced  the 
truth  of  the  promise,  "  I  will  never 
leave  thee  nor  forsake  thee." 

Soon  after  the  death  of  her  friend, 
Alice,  who  had  previously  inquired 
earnestly  into  the  doctrines  and 
creed  of  the  church  which  she  had 
attended  from  infancy,  felt  that  it 
was  her  duty  to  profess  her  faith 
before  the  world.  Some  of  the  doc- 
trines of  the  church  were  indeed 
mysterious  to  her,  but  as  she  closely 
compared  them  with  Scripture,  she 
found  that  they  had  the  sanction 
of  a  "  Thus  saith  the  Lord,"  and 
that  was  enough.  Should  she  doubt 
because  some  things  were  dark  to 
her  human  vision  ?  How  then 
should    she  receive  many  myste- 


40  ALICE    ROSEDALE. 

rious  but  acknowledged  truths  of 
human  science  ? 

She  felt  it  a  duty  to  obey  the 
command  of  the  Saviour,  "  Do  this 
in  remembrance  of  me,"  and  she 
thought  it  a  great  privilege  to  be 
numbered  with  the  children  of  God. 

It  was  a  solemn  season  to  her 
when  she  stood  up  in  the  place  of 
prayer  and  took  the  vows  of  God 
upon  her,  and  it  was  her  most  ear- 
nest desire  to  consecrate  all  her 
powers  and  resources  without  re- 
serve unto  the  Lord. 


YOUTHFUL   DAYS.  41 


CHAPTER  II. 

YOUTHFUL   DAYS. 

The  next  summer,  at  the  age  of 
fifteen,  Alice  left  home  to  reside 
with  an  adopted  sister  of  her  mo- 
ther living  at  a  distance,  and  to  go 
through  the  ordinary  course  of  study 
in  an  excellent  academy  in  the  neigh- 
bourhood. 

It  was  her  last  night  at  home,  her 

trunks    were    packed,    and    Alice, 

with  a  burdened  heart  stole  up  to 

her  mother's  room  to  commune  for 

a  while  with  that  dear  relative  from 

whom  she  must  now  be  separated 
4* 


42  ALICE   ROSEDALE. 

most  of  the  time  for  three  years. 
Her  mother  met  her  with  a  smile ; 
and  drawing  her  to  a  seat  conversed 
with  her  freely  upon  the  many 
topics  of  interest  incident  to  such  an 
occasion,  and  then  remarked : 

''And  now,  my  daughter,  be  a 
whole  Christian !  Shrink  not  at 
ridicule  or  opposition.  Be  not 
afraid  nor  ashamed  to  declare  your- 
self on  the  Lord's  side.  These 
years  will  be  exceedingly  important 
in  the  formation  of  your  character. 
Never  let  anything  tempt  you  to 
forget  your  Bible  and  your  stated 
seasons  of  devotion."  This  advice 
was  treasured  up  by  the  daughter, 
and  much  of  her  subsequent  course 
may  be  attributed  to  her  scrupulous 


YOUTHFUL   DAYS.  43 

obedience  to  her  mother's  coun- 
sels. 

The  next  evening  found  her  alone 
in  her  large  and  airy  chamber  at  her 
aunt's  residence.  This  person,  Mrs. 
Maxwell,  (whom  she  had  been  taught 
to  call  her  aunt,)  was  almost  an  en- 
tire stranger  to  her  niece,  having 
travelled  much  abroad  with  her 
husband,  who  was  a  sea  captain. 
Alice  thought  her  very  different 
from  her  own  dear  mother.  There 
was  a  certain  stateliness  of  manner 
that  repelled  the  timid  girl.  Yet 
her  mother  had  often  spoken  of  her 
with  affection,  and  Alice  resolved  to 
try  to  love  her  for  her  mother's 
sake. 

That  first  evening  away  from 
home,  however,  she  felt  lonely  and 


44  ALICE   ROSEDALE. 

dispirited.  She  was  a  stranger  in 
a  strange  place,  and  a  heart  like 
hers  needed  sympathy  and  friend- 
ship. She  drew  out  from  her  trunk 
her  little  Bible,  but  the  sight  of 
various  articles  placed  there  by  her 
mother  made  her  weep,  and  she  could 
not  compose  her  thoughts  sufficient- 
ly to  be  comforted  by  reading  its 
precious  pages.  Soon  a  step  upon 
the  stairs  startled  her  from  her 
dreamy  thoughts,  and  a  loud  rap  at 
the  door  was  immediately  followed 
by  the  boisterous  entrance  of  a  girl 
about  her  own  age,  whose  chubby 
form,  strongly  built  frame,  and  ruddy 
cheeks  bespoke  a  state  of  exuberant 
health  and  spirits. 

''  So  this  is  my  new  cousin,  Alice 
Rosedale,  I  suppose.   Ma  wanted  me 


YOUTHFUL    DAYS.  45 

to  wait  for  an  introduction,  but  I 
could  not  wait  her  slow  motions. 
How  do  you  like  Ashwood  Grrove  ? 
You'll  be  bored  to  death  with  tasks 
and  flummery,  and  old  Elmer  is  so 
cross  and  fussy  that  the  girls  can't 
even  speak  in  school  without  a 
lecture.  For  my  part  I  shall  be 
heartily  glad  when  I  get  through 
the  course,  and  my  father  takes  me 
out  on  the  ocean  again.  I  would  have 
you  believe  I  like  variety."  Dur- 
ing this  singular  speech  Alice  stood 
mute  with  astonishment,  and  then 
remarked,  ^  ■  And  you,  I  suppose, 
are  my  cousin,  Ella  Maxwell,  of 
whom  I  have  heard,  but  have  never 
had  the  pleasure  of  seeing  before." 
"  Yes,  that's  my  name.  Returned 
just  six  weeks  ago  from  the  South 


46  ALICE    ROSEDALE. 

Sea  Islands  where  I  have  been  with 
pa.     I  wish  I  was  there  now." 

Then  followed  a  long  dissertation 
upon  general  items,  much  of  which 
consisted  of  the  sayings  and  doings 
of  her  mother's  servants,  or  the 
seamen  of  her  father,  until  Alice, 
weary,  disgusted,  and  heart-sick,  was 
obliged  to  say,  ''  I  have  had  a  weari- 
some day,  dear  cousin,  and  it  will  be 
necessary  for  me  soon  to  retire  to 
rest."  "  0  yes,"  said  Ella,  "  I  am 
going  soon.  0  don't  I  wish  I  was 
going  to  sleep  in  your  room.  I'll 
tease  mother  to  let  me,  see  if  I 
don't." 

Poor  Alice !  how  her  heart  ached 
over  the  apparent  neglect  in  the 
education  of  her  wild  and  thought- 
less  cousin.     Long   she  lay  awake 


YOUTHFUL   DAYS.  47 

revolving  plans  for  her  improve- 
ment, and  with  the  natural  hopeful- 
ness of  youth  she  looked  forward  to 
the  time  when  Ella's  coarse,  wild 
manners  should  become  polished 
and  refined,  and  she  should  be  a  con- 
sistent Christian. 

Perhaps,  thought  she,  this  is  a 
part  of  the  work  I  have  to  do  at 
Ashwood  Grrove. 

Next  day  Alice  commenced  her 
studies  in  good  earnest.  She  found 
the  principal,  Mr.  Elmer,  to  be  a 
gentleman  of  great  intelligence  and 
refinement,  and  Miss  Embury,  first 
assistant,  was  a  lady  whom  she  felt 
sure  she  should  love.  Time  passed 
away  rapidly,  and  Alice  became  a 
favourite  with  teachers  and  pupils. 
In  scholarship  she  stood  very  high, 


48  ALICE   ROSEDALE. 

yet  such  was  her  lovely  disposition 
that  no  one  seemed  to  look  upon 
her  with  envy,  as  is  frequently  the 
case  in  institutions  of  the  kind. 
Then  the  influence  of  her  earnest, 
practical  piety  could  not  but  be  felt, 
although  she  was  very  quiet  and 
unostentatious  in  the  path  of  duty. 
At  her  home  she  met  with  some 
severe  trials,  and  petty  vexations 
without  number  from  the  wild  and 
careless  Ella.  Indeed  she  could 
find  no  impressible  place  in  the 
mind  or  heart  of  the  giddy  girl. 
Sometimes  her  patience  gave  way 
entirely,  and  she  was  obliged  to 
mourn  over  the  remains  of  depravi- 
ty in  her  heart,  yet  unsubdued  by 
grace.  Yet  after  she  had  spoken 
angrily  to   her  cousin,  she   always 


YOUTHFUL    DAYS.  49 

confessed  to  her  her  error  and  im- 
plored forgiveness. 

About  the  middle  of  the  first 
term  a  young  lady  came  to  Alice  in 
the  recess,  and  invited  her  to  spend 
the  next  evening  with  her  at  her 
home,  saying,  that  she  expected  a 
few  of  her  young  friends.  Alice, 
thinking  it  would  be  an  agreeable 
way  of  spending  an  evening,  accepted 
the  invitation,  and  thought  no  more 
of  the  matter  until  she  heard  some 
members  of  the  school  conversing 
together  about  this  gathering.  Then 
she  learned  that  it  was  to  be  a  large 
party,  and  that  dancing  and  some 
giddy  games,  then  in  vogue,  were 
to  be  introduced. 

As  her  friend  had  gone  home,  she 
wrote  the  following  note,  and  sent  it 


50  ALICE   ROSEDALE. 

by  Ella,  who  was  delighted  to  attend 
the  party. 

"  Dear  Annie,— When  I  accep- 
ted your  kind  invitation,  I  supposed 
you  were  expecting  only  a  few 
friends,  and  that  it  would  be  a 
quiet  evening,  spent  in  conversation 
and  music.  Such  an  evening  would 
have  been  very  pleasant  to  me ;  but 
as  a  professing  Christian,  I  feel  that 
it  would  be  wrong  for  me  to  indulge 
in  the  merriment  and  dancing  of 
your  assembly. 

Hoping  to  meet  you  ere  long  in 
some  less  public,  social  manner, 
I  remain  yours,  &c., 
Alice  Rosedale. 

Ella  met  with  a  thoughtless  com- 
panion on  her  way  to  Annie's,  and 


YOUTHFUL   DAYS.  51 

became  so  engrossed  in  conversation 
that  she  was  late  at  the  party,  and 
entering  the  well  filled  drawing- 
room,  she  handed  the  note  to  Annie. 
Just  as  the  latter  had  glanced  at  its 
contents  and  was  folding  the  note, 
Ella,  with  characteristic  rudeness, 
snatched  it  from  her  and  read  it 
aloud  amid  bursts  of  laughter  and 
merriment.  Annie,  with  native  po- 
liteness, turned  the  conversation, 
and  the  matter  passed  over  for  the 
time.  The  next  day,  at  the  close 
of  school,  Agnes  Barton,  second  as- 
sistant, a  young  lady  some  two  years 
her  senior,  came  to  Alice  and  whis- 
pered in  her  ear,  ''  Do  you  know 
that  you  spoiled  all  my  enjoyment 
last  evening  ?"  Alice  coloured  to  the 
temples   when   told   of   the    read- 


SQ  ALICE   ROSEDALE. 

ing  of  the  note,  for  she  had  been 
assured  that  Miss  Barton  was  in 
the  habit  of  ridiculing  religious 
matters,  and  simply  saying,  that 
she  regretted  exceedingly  that  any- 
thing she  had  done  had  produced 
an  eflfect  so  different  from  her  inten- 
tion, she  bade  her  good  evening 
and  walked  away.  In  the  silence 
of  her  chamber  however  she  reflected 
that  there  was  a  seriousness  in  Miss 
Barton's  manner  that  she  had  never 
observed  before,  and  she  penned  a 
note  full  of  affectionate  entreaty, 
urging  her  to  come  to  Jesus.  That 
this  was  an  important  event  in  the 
life  of  Miss  Barton  will  be  seen 
hereafter.  Examination  was  ap- 
proaching, and  to  Alice  had  been 
given  the  preparation  of  an  original 


YOUTHFUL   DAYS.  53 

hymn  for  the  occasion,  in  addition 
to  a  theme  for  composition  in  which 
she  very  naturally  desired  to  excel. 
Her  ordinary  lessons  pressed  so 
heavily  that  very  little  time  was  left, 
and  she  began  to  fear  that  she  should 
not  be  able  to  finish  all  that  was 
required  of  her.  Just  at  this  busy 
period  she  recived  a  note  from  the 
youngest  girl  in  school  containing 
these  few  words : 

Dear  Alice,— Can  you  tell  me 
what  I  must  do  to  become  a  chris- 
tian ?  I  am  in  great  distress  about 
my  soul. 

Lucy  BRowisr. 

Books  and  papers  were  immedi- 
ately laid  aside,  and  a  long  letter  was 
written  to  the  young  inquirer  ex- 


6i 


ALICE   ROSEDALE. 


plaining  to  her  the  way  of  salva- 
tion. 

Then  Alice  resumed  her  occupa- 
tions, and  in  two  hours  after  mid- 
night her  duties  were  performed  to 
the  satisfaction  of  her  teachers.  She 
was  then  more  strongly  impressed, 
than  ever  before,  with  the  truth  that 
religion  does  not  hinder  but  helps 
severe  study. 

In  a  few  .days  Lucy  Brown  was 
rejoicing  in  the  hope  of  acceptance 
with  God,  and  at  the  commencement 
of  vacation  three  or  four  of  the 
young  ladies  gave  evidence  that 
they  had  passed  from  death  unto 
life.  Alice,  whom  they  had  all  con- 
sulted in  their  serious  inquiries 
after  the  truth,  regretted  to  leave 
them  to  return  home,  but  warning 


them  to  place  th^i^^^epeflSence- 
solely  upon  the  Saviour,  she  re- 
turned to  ask  counsel  and  direction 
of  her  mother,  and  her  pastor.  At 
Ashwood  Grove  there  was  no  settled 
evangelical  pastor,  or  Alice  would 
have  immediately  consulted  him 
in  the  matter. 

Mr.  Hammond,  her  pastor,  as- 
sured her  that  he  would  come  over 
and  preach  in  the  seminary  hall, 
could  she  obtain  the  consent  of  the 
principal.  Vacation  over,  Alice 
returned  to  school  and  found  the 
interest  still  increasing  among  the 
young  ladies.  Miss  Embury  was 
a  professing  Christian,  and  when 
Alice  first  mentioned  the  state  of 
affairs  to  her,  she  had  a  desire  to 
help  forward  the  work,  but  feared 


56  ALICE   ROSEDALE. 

that  Mr.  Elmer  would  object  to  any 
especial  religious  exercises  at  the 
seminary.  In  this  she  was  not  de- 
ceived ;  Mr.  Elmer  feared  to  offend 
several  influential  men  in  the  board 
of  trustees  by  appearing  to  favour 
evangelical  religion.  Still  the  matter 
lay  very  near  her  heart,  and  she 
was  revolving  plans  for  the  instruc- 
tion of  these  youthful  inquirers. 
One  evening,  she  requested  Alice  to 
remain  for  a  few  minutes  after 
school,  and  with  real  concern  de- 
picted on  her  countenance,  asked 
if  she  could  not  have  a  meeting  for 
prayer  and  conference  in  her  own 
room.  Miss  Embury  was  prevented 
from  doing  so  herself  by  the  well 
known  prejudices  of  the  family  with 
which    she    lived.     Alice  replied, 


YOUTHFUL   DAYS.  57 

that  she  would  consult  her  aunt, 
and  when  she  did  so,  to  her  surprise 
that  individual  gave  a  ready  as- 
sent. 

The  first  meeting  was  appointed 
for  the  ensuing  Saturday  afternoon, 
and  Miss  Embury  assured  Alice 
that  she  would  be  present. 

The  afternoon  came,  and  five 
new  born  souls  assembled  in  that 
upper  chamber.  Miss  Embury  did 
not  come,  detained  by  sudden  illness, 
as  was  afterwards  learned.  There 
stood  the  youthful  Alice,  the  only 
professed  Christian  of  the  group. 
How  did  she  tremble,  for  she  knew 
that  the  responsibility  of  conducting 
their  devotions  devolved  upon  her ! 

However  her  companions  came 
in  the  zeal  of  their  first  love,  and  it 


58  ALICE   ROSEDALE. 

^yas  a  joyful  season  to  all  present. 
That  little  meeting  was  the  com- 
mencement of  a  powerful  revival 
of  religion  which  was  not  confined 
to  the  school. 

Mr.  Hammond  came  over  and 
preached  in  the  town  hall ;  other 
clergymen  did  the  same.  People  be- 
gan to  relish  evangelical  preaching ; 
and  in  two  years  from  that  time  the 
converts  of  that  revival  purchased 
the  Universalist  church  and  estab- 
lished a  small  church  and  Sabbath- 
school  of  their  own.  But  to  return  to 
the  school. 

Mr.  Elmer  soon  consented  that 
the  prayer  meeting  should  be  held 
in  one  of  the  recitation  rooms,  and 
the  number  that  attended  was  soon 
increased  from  five  to  twenty-five. 


YOUTHFUL   DlYS.  59 

But  where  was  Agnes  Barton  all 
that  time  ?  Not  in  the  prayer- 
meeting,  not  among  the  inquirers. 
Alice  was  sure  that  she  was  not 
uninterested,  for  she  had  thankfully 
received  her  letter  and  expressed  a 
wish  to  be  a  Christian. 

Yet  she  was  so  extremely  cau- 
tious in  the  matter,  that  Alice  began 
to  think  that  the  fear  of  the  world 
must  be  the  hindrance.  She  kept  up 
a  constant  correspondence  with  her, 
and  judged  from  her  letters  that  she 
was  under  deep  conviction.  Alice 
begged  to  be  allowed  to  present  her 
case  to  Miss  Embury  in  whom 
Agnes  had  great  confidence ;  but  she 
would  not  allow  her  to  do  so.  Yet 
in  each  interval  of  leisure  she  would 
come  to  Alice  for  instruction  in  the 


60  ALICE    ROSEDALE. 

path  of  duty.  At  this  critical  period, 
Miss  Embury  was  detained  from 
school  some  days  by  illness,  and 
upon  Miss  Barton  and  Alice  de- 
volved the  whole  care  of  that  de- 
partment of  the  school.  Thus  Miss 
Barton  seemed  obliged  to  control 
her  anxiety  during  the  busy  day, 
although  she  endeavoured  to  recall 
her  convictions  at  night.  Alice  saw 
and  felt  the  danger  of  such  a  pro- 
ceeding, but  knew  not  how  to 
remedy  the  evil.  Wednesday  morn- 
ing came,  the  time  for  general  exer- 
cises, and  a  lecture  in  Chemistry 
from  Mr.  Elmer,  so  that  the  female 
teachers  were  free  from  responsi- 
bility. Alice  took  her  seat  as  usual 
among  the  pupils,  and  Miss  Bar- 
ton passing  that  way  slipped  a  note 


YOUTHFUL   DAYS.  61 

into  her  hands.  It  seemed  the 
very  expression  of  despair.  ^'  What 
have  I  been  doing,"  said  she,  '^  thus 
to  neglect  my  eternal  interest  ?  How 
can  1  expect  to  recall  serious  impres- 
sions at  night  if  I  grieve  away 
the  Spirit  during  the  day.  0 
Alice,  what  shall  I  do?" 

Alice  for  once  in  all  the  term  acted 
in  opposition  to  the  rules  of  school, 
which  allowed  no  writing  during 
lectures ;  she  seized  a  pencil  and 
wrote,  ''Agnes,  school  will  immedi- 
ately close.  This  afternoon  is  a  half 
holiday.  Go  to  your  chamber  and 
leave  it  not,  until  you  have  found  the 
compassionate  Saviour  who  is  wait- 
ing to  receive  you." 

At  the  close  of  school  Mr.  Elmer 

spoke  to  Miss  Barton  as  she  was 
6 


62  ALICE   ROSEDALE. 

passing  to  the  hall,  and  presented 
her  with  a  ticket  for  a  panoramic 
exhibition,  which  was  to  take  place 
that  afternoon.  It  was  one  which 
she  had  long  wished  to  see,  and  this 
was  the  last  opportunity,  as  it  was 
to  be  removed  to  a  distant  city  the 
next  day.  Her  first  impulse  was  to 
accept  the  ticket,  so  kindly  ofifered, 
with  many  thanks  for  the  honour 
conferred  upon  her ;  but  a  sudden 
thought  checked  her  ;  "  I  have  im- 
portant business  which  requires  my 
undivided  attention  this  afternoon," 
replied  she,  "  therefore  I  must  de- 
cline your  unmerited  kindness." 
It  seemed  a  slight  matter,  the  simple 
refusal  to  attend  that  exhibition,  yet 
on  it  hinged  the  destiny  of  an  im- 
mortal soul. 


YOUTHFUL   DAYS.  63 

Again,  as  if  to  tempt  her  to  swerve 
from  the  path  of  duty,  she  was  im- 
portuned to  spend  the  afternoon 
and  evening,  at  the  home  of  a  very 
dear  friend,  with  Miss  Rosedale  and 
a  few  others.  This  last  invitation 
had  more  weight  than  the  first, 
because  she  much  wished  for  con- 
versation with  Alice,  upon  the  all- 
important  subject  occupying  her 
thoughts. 

Yet  she  reflected  that  she  should 
not  probably  have  an  opportunity 
for  private  conversation,  and  she 
returned  to  her  home  with  the  full 
determination  to  do  as  Alice  had  re- 
commended. Requesting  her  mother 
not  to  allow  her  to  be  interrupted, 
she  retired  to  her  chamber. 

She  tried  to  pray,  but  dark  and 


64  ALICE   ROSEDALE. 

gloomy  doubts  arose  ;  she  could  find 
no  words,  no  thoughts,  in  which  she 
dared  to  address  a  holy  God. 

Then  the  words  of  a  hymn,  which 
she  had  learned  in  infanc}^,  came 
into  her  mind,  and  they  seemed  to 
be  an  exact  expression  of  her  em- 
otions. 

"  With  tears  of  anguish  I  lament, 

Here  at  thy  feet,  my  God, 
My  passion,  pride,  and  discontent, 
And  vile  ingratitude. 

Sure  there  was  ne'er  a  heart  so  base, 

So  false  as  mine  has  been  ; 
So  faithless  to  its  promises, 

So  prone  to  every  sin. 

How  long,  dear  Saviour,  shall  I  feel 

These  struggles  in  my  breast  ? 
When  wilt  thou  bow  my  stubborn  will 

And  give  my  conscience  rest  ? 

Break,  sovereign  grace — oh  break  the  charm, 
And  set  the  captive  free ; 


YOUTHFUL   DAYS.  65 

Reveal,  great  God,  thy  mighty  arm  — 
And  haste  to  rescue  me." 

In  the  evening,  as  Alice  sat  in 
her  friend's  parlour  joining  in  the 
conversation  around  her,  rather 
absently,  for  her  thoughts  were  with 
Agnes,  she  was  surprised  at  the  an- 
nouncement of  Miss  Barton.  How 
very  anxiously  she  scanned  her 
friend's  features,  as  if  there  to  read 
the  history  of  that  afternoon's  re- 
tirement !  But  there  was  nothing 
there  to  reveal  what  was  passing 
within,  so  perfect  was  the  control 
which  Agnes  had  gained  over  the 
expression  of  her  countenance.  She 
spoke  in  her  usual  tone,  and  upon 
topics  of  general  interest.  Soon 
a  walk  was   proposed.     It   was   a 

lovely  moonlight  evening  in  mid- 
6  * 


00  ALICE   ROSEDALE. 

summer,  and  as  the  young  ladies 
passed  down  a  street  shaded  by 
beautiful  trees,  and  at  its  foot 
stretched  away  the  boundless  ocean, 
dotted  here  and  there  by  w^hite 
sails,  the  scene  was  so  irresistibly 
grand  that  Miss  Barton,  who  had 
taken  the  arm  of  Alice,  exclaimed,  in 
the  beautiful  language  of  the  poet, 

"  These  are  thy  glorious  works,  Parent  of  good ! 
Almighty  !'* 

turning  to  her  friend,  she  exclaimed, 
"  I  am  so  happy  to-night,  dearest 
Alice,  that  I  can  find  no  words  for 
the  expression  of  my  joy.  I  believe 
that  God  is  my  reconciled  Father, 
that  I  have  been  washed  from  my 
sins  in  the  blood  of  the  Lamb. 
My  friend,  how  shall  I  evince  my 
gratitude  to  you  for  your   tender 


YOUTHFUL   DAYS.  67 

interest  in  the  welfare  of  my  im- 
mortal soul  ?  When  Ella  Maxwell 
read  your  note  before  the  merry 
group  assembled  in  Annie  Warner's 
parlour,  I  felt  self-condemned  that 
I  had  consented  to  waste  my  pre- 
cious time  in  such  frivolous  amuse- 
ments, and  I  admired  the  consistency 
of  your  conduct,  not  only  in  declining 
to  be  present,  but  in  giving  the 
true  reason  for  your  absence.  Then 
an  overwhelming  sense  of  the 
worth  of  the  soul  came  into  my 
mind,  and  I  thought  of  the  fearful 
manner  in  which  I  had  neglected 
my  spiritual  interests,  and  the 
impression  would  not  depart. 

''  I  tried  to  speak  to  you  on  the 
next  day,  and  you  did  not  seem 
to   understand  me,  but  that   kind 


68  ALICE   EOSEDALE. 

letter,  oh !  Alice,  it  was  the  first 
direct  appeal  that  had  ever  been 
made  to  my  conscience  by  any 
Christian  friend,  and  from  the  hour 
that  I  received  it  I  had  no  rest 
until  I  found  peace  and  pardon  at 
the  foot  of  the  cross."  Alice  was 
much  affected  at  this  disclosure,  and 
smiling  through  her  tears  whispered, 
"Praise  the  Lord." 

Long  these  friends  conferred 
together  upon  the  subject  so  dear 
to  their  hearts ;  and  the  friendship 
which  had  commenced  before,  was 
that  night  so  strongly  cemented  by 
the  bonds  of  Christian  love,  that  it 
remained  to  bless  their  whole 
subsequent;  lives. 

"  Nor  shall  the  glowing  flame  expire 
When  dimly  burns  frail  nature's  fire. 


YOUTHFUL   DAYS.  69 

Then  shall  they  meet  in  realms  above, 
A  heaven  of  joy — a  heaven  of  love." 

Time  passed  rapidly  and  pleasant- 
ly to  Alice,  for  constant  occupation 
allowed  no  space  for  weariness  ;  and 
she  found  that  the  religious  ex- 
ercises in  which  she  had  engaged 
had  not  hindered  her  in  the 
acquisition  of  worldly  science,  but 
that  they  had  rather  invigorated 
her  mental  powers.  And  then 
the  happiness  of  such  a  course, 
compared  with  the  youthful  ex- 
perience of  many  persons  !  Alice 
had  a  joyful  heart,  and  she  invaria- 
bly wore  a  cheerful  countenance. 

Oftentimes  the  remark  was  made 
by  her  companions,  "  There  must 
be  something  in  religion,  it  makes 
Alice  Rosedale  so  haj)py. 


70  ALICE   EOSEDALE. 

The  third  year  of  school  was 
drawing  to  a  close,  yet  Ella  Maxwell 
remained  the  same  wild,  unmanage- 
able girl.  Her  lessons  were  never 
correctly  learned,  she  was  almost 
constantly  in  disgrace  with  the 
teachers,  and  she  did  everything 
in  her  power  to  annoy  them, 
and  all  her  school-mates  who  en- 
deavoured to  do  right.  She  had 
much  influence  over  a  certain  class 
of  the  girls  who  were  fond  of  hoy- 
denish  sports,  and  indiscriminate 
ridicule  of  everything  that  came  in 
their  way. 

At  home  her  mother  had  strictly 
forbidden  her  to  enter  Alice's  room 
without  leave,  so  that  she  did  not 
much  interfere  with  her  cousin's 
studies,   but     at     school    and     on 


YOUTHFUL   DAYS.  71 

the  way  thither  she  contrived  in 
various  ways  to  annoy  her.  Yet 
Alice  saw  that  her  cousin  had 
never  enjoyed  the  inestimable 
privilege  of  a  mother's  careful 
training  ;  for  Mrs.  Maxwell  seemed 
to  care  very  little  for  her  daughter, 
provided  her  conduct  gave  her 
no  personal  inconvenience.  Alice 
wished  to  direct  her  wandering  feet 
into  the  path  of  peace. 

For  this  she  prayed  and  laboured, 
but  all  seemed  to  be  in  vain,  and 
Alice  believed  her  failure  to  win 
Ella's  confidence  was  in  consequence 
of  the  inconsistency  of  her  own 
conduct  in  several  outbursts  of 
anger,  provoked,  it  is  true,  by  Ella's 
wanton   disregard  of  her  cousin's 


72  ALICE   ROSEDALE. 

feelings,  yet  none  the  less  sinful 
for  the  provocation. 

About  this  time  Alice  wrote  a 
letter  to  her  mother  from  which  we 
make  the  following  extract ; 

*'  I  am  eighteen  years  of  age  to- 
day. In  looking  back  upon  the 
past  three  years  they  seem  like  a 
dream  with  their  variety  of  duties 
and  changing  scenes.  Yet,  dear 
mother,  I  wish  _  solemnly  to  ask 
myself  the  question,  '  What  have  I 
done  for  GTod  during  these  years  ?' 

*'  The  retrospect,  although  it  af- 
fords some  pleasure,  is  far  from 
what  I  could  wish  it  to  be. 

"  Some  delightful  seasons  have 
been  given  to  me — seasons  in  which 
I  have  felt  more  than  ever  before 
the  worth  of  the  religion   of  the 


YOUTHFUL   DAYS.  73 

gospel.  I  have  had  the  unspeakable 
pleasure  of  directing  some  inquiring 
souls  to  the  Lamb  of  God  ;  but  have 
I  myself  kept  near  to  him  ?  My 
conscience  answers  not  as  I  ought. 
I  have  to  acknowledge  with  shame 
many  delinquencies  in  thought, 
word,  and  deed.  To-day  my  heart  is 
filled  with  self-abasement  and  grati- 
tude that  God  has  permitted  me,  a 
poor  unworthy  worm  of  the  dust, 
to  labour  for  the  advancement  of 
his  kingdom." 

Alice  went  through  the  course  of 

studies  and  returned  to  her  home, 

not  imagining   that  her  education 

was  finished  but  just  commenced. 

7 


74  ALICE   KOSEDALE. 


CHAPTER  III. 

AFFLICTIONS  AND  DUTIES. 

On  arriving  at  her  own  loved  home 
Alice  was  no  less  surprised  than  de- 
lighted to  find  that  her  father  had 
established  family  worship,  and 
seemed  to  be  in  every  respect 
another  man.  Her  mother  had  not 
informed  her  of  this  great  change, 
at  the  express  desire  of  her  father, 
who  greatly  feared  that  he  was  de- 
ceiving himself,  and  wished  to  raise 
no  hopes  which  he  might  disappoint. 

She  also  learned  for  the  first  time 
that    Alfred,   her    brother,   was   a 


AFFLICTIONS  AND  DUTIES.       75 

painful  source  of  anxiety  to  his 
parents.  She  knew  that  he  was 
wild  and  reckless,  but  her  parents 
had  forborne  to  distress  her  with  the 
intelligence  that  he  had  joined  him- 
self to  an  idle  gang  of  dissolute 
young  men,  who  seemed  intent  not 
only  on  working  out  their  own  de- 
struction, but  on  annoying  the  whole 
town  by  their  noisy  mirth  and 
drunken  revelry. 

Their  usual  rendezvous  was  the 
bar-room  of  a  public  house  in  the 
village,  and  more  than  one  carousal 
had  threatened  injury  to  the  life  of 
some  of  the  gang. 

Heavily  sank  this  knowledge  into 
the  heart  of  Alice.  Then  indeed 
the  deep  waters  went  over  her  soul. 
Had  she  been  the  only  sufferer,  it 


76  ALICE   EOSEDALE. 

might  have  been  overwhelming  ;  but 
her  mother,  her  precious  mother, 
was  evidently  sinking  under  her 
sorrow,  and  her  father  was  contin- 
ually upbraiding  himself  as  the 
cause  of  his  son's  dereliction  from 
the  path  of  duty.  In  her  weakness 
she  carried  her  burden  to  her  cove- 
nant Saviour,  and  felt  his  sustaining 
arms  underneath  her. 

Then  was  she  endued  with  fresh 
strength  and  courage,  and  earnestly 
she  endeavoured  to  be  both  son  and 
daughter  to  her  distressed  parents. 

She  soon  relieved  her  mother 
almost  wholly  of  household  cares, 
for  she  was  apt  to  learn,  and  brought 
to   the    work   a    determined    will 

This  task  was  light  compared 
with   others  which  were  soon  laid 


AFFLICTIONS  AND  DUTIES.       77 

upon  her  ;  for  as  her  mother's  health 
rapidly  declined,  her  nervous  system 
was  so  much  affected  that  she  was 
often  in  great  darkness.  At  such 
seasons  it  was  only  Alice  who  could 
soothe  and  comfort  the  poor  sufferer. 
Her  mind  dwelt  with  morbid  sensi- 
bility upon  the  misconduct  of  her 
son,  and  she  feared  she  had  deceived 
herself  in  regard  to  her  own  religious 
experience.  Alice  devoted  a  part 
of  each  day  to  reading  to  her  sooth- 
ing passages  from  the  Bible  or  the 
lives  of  some  earnest,  suffering  Chris- 
tians and  thus  diverted  her  thoughts 
from  her  own  troubles.  Then  she 
daily  took  her  out  to  walk  amid  the 
beautiful  scenery  which  surrounded 

them,  and  ministered  to  her  diseased 

7* 


78       AFFLICTIONS  AND  DUTIES. 

mind   as   none  but  an  aifectionate 
daughter  could. 

Often  and  often  her  dissipated 
brother  came  to  her  home  in  a 
state  of  brutal  intoxication,  bringing 
with  him  some  of  his  boon  com- 
panions. These  Mr.  Rosedale 
quickly  expelled  from  his  house; 
and  then  with  the  heart  agony 
which  only  fond  parents  can  feel 
under  such  circumstances  he  and 
Alice  assisted  the  unhappy  youth 
to  his  bed,  and  bestowed  upon  him 
every  kind  attention.  Whenever 
it  was  possible  all  this  disgrace  was 
kept  from  the  unhappy  mother, 
but  every  item  of  Alfred's  behaviour, 
with  great  exaggerations  was  faith- 
fully reported  to  her  by  Mrs.  Brunt, 
a  neighbour,  who  called  frequently 


AFFLICTIONS   AT^D   DUTIES.      79 

for  the  ostensible  purpose  of 
sympathizing  with  the  family  in 
their  affliction,  but  really  for  the 
sake  of  carrying  from  them  anything 
which  would  interest  the  gossiping 
circle  of  which  she  seemed  to  be  the 
centre.  Occasionally  in  the  weak- 
ness of  bodily  and  mental  anguish, 
Mrs.  Rosedale  would  speak  of  her- 
self to  Mrs.  Brunt  as  she  did  to  her 
daughter,  as  a  lost  sinner  without 
hope,  not  being  able  to  see  that  she 
was  placing  confidence  in  a  very 
improper  person. 

One  afternoon  in  the  winter  follow- 
ing, the  ladies'  benevolent  society 
met  at  the  home  of  Mrs.  Tattelle 
in  the  village,  and  while  the  fingers 
of  the  ladies  were  busy  with  their 
needles,  their  tongues  were  freely 


80  ALICE   ROSEDALE. 

discussing  the  characters  of  their 
absent  neighbours. 

''  Don't  you  think  ?"  cried  Mrs. 
Brunt,  rushing  breathlessly  into 
the  midst  of  the  group ;  ''Alfred 
Rosedale  has  forged  a  note  on  his 
father  that  will  sink  the  old  man  as 
sure  as  anything.  I  knew  that  fellow 
would  come  to  some  bad  end."  Here 
she  stopped  to  breathe,  and  exclama- 
tions of,  " Youdon'tsayso !"  "Well, 
I  never !"  "  Won't  the  upstarts  feel 
mean  now?"  and  similar  expressive 
phrases  revealed  the  relish  with 
which  the  intelligence  was  received. 

"  I  pity  Mrs.  Rosedale  and  Alice," 
ventured  to  suggest  little  Susan 
Green,  who  sat  in  a  corner  by 
herself." 

"  That's  more  than  I  can  say,"  re- 


AFFLICTIONS   AND   DUTIES.      81 

sumed  Mrs.  Brunt.  "  Mrs.  Rosedale 
has  set  herself  up  for  an  example 
to  common  folks  long  enough ;  but 
she's  come  down  low  enough  now", 
however,  for  I  heard  her  say  only 
the  other  day  that  she  didn't  believe 
there  was  such  a  sinner  alive  as  she 
was.  I  don't  doubt  but  she  has 
committed  some  dreadful  crime,  or 
she  wouldn't  take  on  so,  and  all 
these  trials  wouldn't  have  come 
upon  her." 

"  Now,  Mrs.  Brunt,"  said  Mrs. 
Goodhue,  ''  don't  you  remember 
poor  old  uncle  Saunders  ?  He  was 
one  of  the  very  best  men  that  ever 
lived,  and  yet  one  friend  after 
another  was  taken  from  him ;  then 
he  lost  his  property,  and  finally  he 
was  obliged  to  go  to  the  poorhouse, 


82  ALICE   ROSEDALE. 

where  he  suflFered  four  long  years 
with  rheumatism  and  then  died. 
Yet  no  one  ever  heard  him  murmur 
or  complain,  and  nobody  believes 
that  he  was  more  wicked  than 
Squire  Grimes,  who  cheated  his 
servants  out  of  their  honest  dues, 
yet  lived  and  diedrolling  in  wealth." 
"*  Judge  not  that  ye  be  not  judged,' 
said  our  Saviour,"  fell  from  Mrs. 
Hammond's  lip  as  she  came  in  from 
an  adjoining  room,  where  she  had 
heard  the  whole  conversation.  Oh 
for  a  heart  to  feel  for  others'  sorrows 
as  we  do  for  our  own !  Then 
would  many  a  heartache  be  spared 
and  this  world  would  soon  become 
the  abode  of  charity  and  peace. 

While     this    conversation     was 
passing,  the  house  of  the  Rosedales 


AFFLICTIONS   AND   DUTIES.      83 

presented  a  very  different  scene. 
The  brother's  last  misdeed,  if  true, 
had  not  yet  reached  the  family. 
Alice  and  her  father  were  in  the 
chamber  of  the  invalid.  For  many 
days  her  strength  had  been  wasting 
away,  and  now  as  she  lay  just  on 
the  verge  of  the  grave,  the  dark 
cloud  was  lifted  from  her  mind,  the 
portals  of  ^'  the  better  world"  were 
full  in  view.  Its  breezes  almost 
fanned  her  cheek,  its  rapturous 
music  filled  her  dying  ear.  As  the 
natural  sun,  bursting  from  behind 
the  storm  clouds  of  a  tempestuous 
day,  tints  more  gorgeously  the 
sunset  sky  than  the  broad  noon  of 
his  meridian  splendour;  so  the 
graces  of  this  suffering  christian 
beamed  forth  more  gloriously  as 


84  ALICE    ROSEDALE. 

the  lamp  of  life  burned  low,  than 
in  all  her  previous  career.  Gone 
were  all  her  doubts  and  fears, 
ended  for  ever  all  her  cares  and 
sorrows,  no  more  weeping,  no  more 
sighing,  no  more  anguish ;  she  was 
passing  over  the  river,  but  the 
waters  were  shallow,  they  touched 
not  the  hem  of  her  garment.  The 
lover  of  her  youth  and  companion  of 
her  riper  years,  her  husband,  stood 
beside  her,  his  heart  full  of  anguish ; 
her  beloved  daughter  was  kneeling 
at  her  bedside  in  the  bitterness  of 
woe,  but  their  grief  moved  her  not : 
they  thought  she  perceived  it  not. 
Suddenly  turning  upon  them  those 
orbs,  from  which  earthly  objects 
were  fast  receding,  she  exclaimed, 
:0  my  loved  ones,  could  you  view 


AFFLICTIONS 

the  past,  the  present/^dtlie  futj^&^*^ 
as  I  now  behold  them,  you  would  not 
murmur,  you  would  not  mourn, 
you  would  rejoice  with  joy  unspeak- 
able and  full  of  glory.  Grod  knows 
just  how  much  of  care  and  sorrow 
we  need,  how  much  we  can  bear. 
In  tender  love  he  afflicts  his  chil- 
dren. I  know  it,  I  feel  it.  My 
son !  my  son !  I  have  prayed  for 
thee,  and  God,  for  his  ow^n  name's 
sake,  has  heard  my  prayer.  Alice, 
your  brother  must  be  saved !  God's 
promises  are  yea  and  amen." 

Quite  exhausted  by  the  effort  of 
speaking,  she  motioned  Alice  to 
bring  her  little  Bible. 

Obeying,  she  opened  the  book  at 
1  Cor.  XV.  Commanding  her  emo- 
tions by  a  powerful  effort,  she  read 


86  ALICE   ROSEDALE. 

until  she  came  to  the  closing  verses ; 
then  the  dying  saint  who  had  lis- 
tened with  deep  attention  caught  the 
strain  and  repeated  slowly,  ''  So 
when  this  corruptible  shall  have  put 
onincorruption,  and  this  mortal  shall 
have  put  on  immortality,  then  shall 
be  brought  to  pass  the  saying  that 
is  written,  Death  is  swallowed  up 
in  victory.  0  death,  where  is  thy 
sting?  0  grave,  where  is  thy  victory  ? 
The  sting  of  death  is  sin  ;  and  the 
strength  of  sin  is  the  law.  But 
thanks  be  to  Grod  who  giveth  us  the 
victory  through  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ."  Her  pastor  entering  at  the 
moment,  she  exclaimed,  "  Praise  the 
Lord  for  me!  I'm  going  home. 
Quickly!  or  I  cannot  join  you 
here!"    Mr.  Hammond  commended 


AFFLICTIONS  AND  DUTIES.       87 

the  departing  Spirit  to  its  Saviour 
and  its  Grod  in  a  short  prayer,  and 
when  he  arose,  the  last  moments  had 
come.  ''  Sing !"  she  feebly  articulated 
as  she  lay  in  the  arms  of  her  weep- 
ing husband.  Alice  was  entirely 
unable  to  commence,  but  Mr.  Ham-' 
mond,  in  a  clear  sweet  voice,  sang : 

"  O  if  my  Lord  would  come  and  meet, 

My  soul'would  stretch  her  wings  in  haste, 
Fly  fearless  through  death's  iron  gate, 
Nor  feel  the  terrors  as  she  passed. 

"Jesus  can  make  a  dying  bed 

Feel  soft  as  downy  pillows  are ; 
While  on  his  breast  I  lean  my  head, 
And  breathe  my  life  out  sweetly  there." 

He  commenced  softly  and  alone, 
but  Alice,  catching  the  inspiration 
of  the  scene,  joined  in  with  a  voice 
at  first  tremulous  with  emotion,  but 
gathering  strength  and  sweetness 


88  ALICE    ROSEDALE. 

throughout  the  exercise,  at  its  close 
she  burst  into  a  rapturous  song  of 
praise,  whose  hallelujah  died  upon 
the  air  just  as  the  spirit  fled.  Si- 
lently they  stood  as  at  the  very 
gateway  of  heaven ;  they  could  not 
weep,  they  felt  more  like  continuing 
their  songs  of  praise. 

Awe-struck  like  those  who  have 
had  a  partial  glimpse,  through  the 
pearly  gates,  of  the  world  of  light, 
they  withdrew  from  the  chamber, 
as  from  a  sacred  place. 

The  void  that  is  made  in  a  house- 
hold, when  the  faithful  wife  and  mo- 
ther is  taken  away,  has  been  too  often 
described  to  need  a  comment  here ; 
yet  in  this  particular  case  were 
circumstances  of  peculiar  trial. 

"When  Alice  returned  from   her 


AFFLICTIONS  AIS-D  DUTIES.       89 

mother's  grave  to  her  desolate  home, 
she  felt,  for  a  time,  that  earth  could 
grant  her  no  boon  so  rich  as  a  place 
by  her  side.  Dark,  and  cold,  and 
bitter  seemed  the  waters  of  the 
ocean  of  life  over  which  her  frail 
barque  was  drifting,  almost  without 
one  ray  of  sunshine  looming  up  the 
shadowy  future.  She  knew  that  this 
was  not  true  submission  to  the  will  - 
of  Grod,  therefore  her  heart  was  sad 
within  her,  and  she  wrote  bitter 
things  against  herself.  Her  bro- 
ther's dissolute  habits,  and  passion 
for  games  of  chance,  had  involved 
his  father  in  so  many  diflBculties 
that  the  dear  old  farm  of  her  father's 
ancestors,  his  own  and  his  chil- 
dren's birth-place,  so  precious  to  him 

as  connected  with  the  memory  of 

8  * 


90  ALICE   EOSEDALE. 

his  sainted  wife,  and  containing  her 
grave,  must  soon  be  given  up.  One 
year  was  allowed  them  for  its  re- 
demption ;  but  they  had  no  hope  of 
retaining  it,  as  her  father  was  already 
bowing  beneath  the  weight  of  years, 
and  utterly  unable  to  enter  any  new 
sphere  of  business.  At  times,  in  her 
anxiety  to  retain  a  home  for  her 
father's  old  age,  Alice  thought  of  her 
uncle  Maxwell,  as  she  had  supposed 
him  to  be  very  wealthy;  but  all 
hopes  of  assistance  in  that  direction 
were  frustrated  by  a  letter  from  Ella, 
informing  her  in  semi-barbarous  En- 
glish of  the  loss  of  the  vessel  which 
he  commanded.  Mrs.  Maxwell  was 
on  board,  and  only  two  of  the  crew 
were  saved  after  being  exposed  to  the 
violence   of  the   elements   for  two 


AFFLICTIONS   AND   DUTIES.      91 

days  and  one  night.  Thus  poor 
Ella  found  herself  a  friendless  or- 
phan, without  any  means  of  support. 
She  entreated  Alice  to  allow  her  to 
come  to  her  home,  and  both  Mr. 
Rosedale  and  Alice  at  once  resolved 
to  take  her  in,  until  she  could  be 
taught  some  method  of  self-support. 
In  this  decision  Alice  was  aware 
she  had  assumed  no  light  responsi- 
bility, for  she  thoroughly  understood 
her  cousin ;  yet  so  anxiously  did 
she  find  herself  desiring  the  im- 
provement of  Ella,  that  it  was 
the  first  gleam  of  sunshine  that 
crossed  her  path, — we  mean  the 
effbrt  to  do  good. 

Ella  came,  and,  as  her  cousin 
hoped,  her  wild  spirit  had  been 
somewhat  tamed  by  misfortune.  She 


92  ALICE   EOSEDALE. 

appeared  to  endeavour  earnestly,  at 
times,  to  perform  her  duties  faith- 
fully, yet  Alice  soon  found  that  it 
was  an  utter  impossibility  to  fit  her 
for  the  occupation  of  a  common 
school  teacher,  as  she  hoped  to  do. 
She  had  been  so  negligent  in  early 
youth,  that  she  could  not  learn  when 
she  earnestly  desired  to  do  so.  For 
a  time  Alice  almost  yielded  to  dis- 
couragement ;  weeks,  months  passed 
away,  and  no  progress  was  made. 
0  that  anxious,  dreary  year,  with  its 
much  dreaded  close  full  in  view ! 
Her  mother's  dying  words  had 
aroused  hope  in  Alice  in  relation  to 
her  brother ;  yet  as  the  months  wore 
on,  and  the  little  season  of  thought- 
fulness  immediately  following  his 
mother's  death  appeared  to  be  for- 


AFFLICTIONS   AND   DUTIES.      93 

gotten,  and  he  pressed  headlong  in- 
to his  former  vices,  poor  Alice's  heart 
gave  way. 

With  the  multitude  of  her  cares 
and  afflictions  she  would  surely 
have  been  overwhelmed,  had  not 
God,  who  will  never  allow  his  chil- 
dren to  be  tempted  above  that  which 
they  are  able  to  bear,  given  her  one 
unexpected  source  of  consolation  in 
her  father.  The  mother's  words  in 
regard  to  her  son  had  also  inspired 
him  with  hope,  and  it  was  a  hope 
that  no  discouragement  had  been 
able  to  shake.  It  seemed  to  re- 
animate his  whole  being.  No  more 
bitter  complaints  of  his  own  neglect 
of  duty  were  heard.  He  had  carried 
his  burden  in  sincerity  and  in  faith 
to  his  heavenly  Father,  and  left  it 


94  ALICE   EOSEDALE. 

there.  He  did  not  attempt  to  bear 
his  grief  alone.  A  sweet  and  child- 
like submission  to  his  Father's  will 
pervaded  his  entire  being.  He  felt 
the  truth  of  that  sentiment : 

"  Sweet  to  lie  passive  in  thy  hands 
And  know  no  will  but  thine." 

Cheerfulness  seemed  to  diffuse 
itself  all  around  him.  His  manner 
changed  toward  Alfred.  He  entire- 
ly ceased  to  upbraid  the  wretched 
youth,  and  treated  him  with  the 
utmost  kindness  and  forbearance. 

His  Bible  was  his  constant  com- 
panion, and  he  came  forth  from  the 
place  of  his  stated  devotions  with 
the  air  of  one  who  has  enjoyed  in- 
timate communion  with  God.  Re- 
ligion was  the  delightful  topic  of 
conversation    between    father   and 


AFFLICTIOIS'S   AND   DUTIES.      95 

daughter ;  yet  when  Alfred  and  Ella 
were  with  them  they  frequently  con- 
versed freely  upon  matters  of  general 
interest,  that  they  might  not  become 
irksome  to  them.  Yet  Mr.  Rose- 
dale  could  never  allow  any  subject 
to  divert  his  attention  from  the  one 
great  object  of  life  for  any  length  of 
time,  and  he  had  the  happy  faculty 
of  deducing  important  lessons  from 
passing  events.  The  Sabbath  was 
a  delightful  day  at  the  farm.  Anx- 
iety and  worldly  care  were  laid 
aside,  and  to  those  of  the  family  who 
could  enter  into  the  spirit  of  the  day 
it  was  a  real  refreshment  of  soul  and 
body. 

Mr.  Hammond  was  a  plain  and 
practical  preacher  of  the  gospel.  He 
felt  it  his  duty  to  declare  unto  his 


96  ALICE   ROSEDALE. 

people  the  whole  truth  whether  they 
would  hear  or  forbear.  Mr.  Rose- 
dale  and  Alice  listened  to  his  ser- 
mons with  great  delight.  Then  the 
exercises  of  the  Sabbath-school  were 
very  pleasant  to  the  latter.  She 
had  a  class  of  little  girls  to  instruct, 
and  in  endeavouring  to  teach  them 
she  found  much  that  was  extremely 
profitable  to  her  own  soul. 

To  this  class,  three  Sabbaths  after 
Mrs.  Rosedale's  death,  Mrs.  Brunt 
brought  her  two  daughters,  remark- 
ing to  Alice  as  she  did  so,  that  she 
only  hoped  they  would  be  as  good 
as  her  mother,  for  if  there  was  ever 
a  Christian  on  earth  she  was  one, 
and  she  "  always  knew  that  she 
would  come  out  bright  at  last."  In 
consequence   of  the  faithfulness  of 


AFFLICTIONS  AND  DITTIES. 


$7 


their  teacher  to  those  poor,  neglect- 
ed children,  it  is  to  be  hoped  that 
they  will  rise  above  the  fearful  home 
influence  surrounding  them,  and 
become  useful  members  of  society. 

After  the  public  exercises  of  the 
day  were  over,  and  Mr.  Rosedale 
and  Alice  had  spent  a  short  season 
in  the  retirement  of  their  rooms,  it 
was  their  habit  to  repair  to  their 
family  sitting  room,  where  Ella, 
and  sometimes  Alfred,  awaited  them, 
and  there  discuss  the  plain  scripture 
truths  to  which  they  had  listened. 
Then  Mr.  Rosedale  read  passages 
from  the  Bible,  or  some  devotional 
book,  and  remarked  upon  them  in 
a  manner  that  very  rarely  failed  to 
interest  all  who  heard  him.     This 

exercise  was  never  made  wearisome 
9 


98  ALICE   ROSEDALE. 

by  its  undue  length,  and  was  im- 
mediately followed  by  tea  and  family 
prayers,  after  which  came  an  exercise 
in  which  even  Alfred  delighted  to 
engage.  This  was  singing  the  sweet 
hymns  learned  at  their  sainted 
mother's  knee,  her  particular  fa- 
vourites. 

The  Sabbath  twilight,  spent  thus, 
was  to  Alice  by  far  the  brightest 
season  of  her  life  of  care.  Then  she 
felt  hopeful  for  her  deluded  bro- 
ther, and  for  Ella.  She  sometimes 
thought  she  detected  in  her  brother 
melting  reminiscences  of  his  far-off 
childhood  ;  yet  often  when  her  hopes 
had  been  thus  raised,  and  she  ven- 
tured to  draw  him  into  conversa- 
tion, he  would  repel  her  by  saying, 
"  IsTow  go,  little  sis,  and  bring  me  the 


AFFLICTIONS  AND  DUTIES.       99 

newspaper,  I  want  to  read  it;  the 
secular  part,  I  mean." 

And  the  succeeding  week  would 
find  him  plunging  deeply  and  still 
more  deeply  into  vice  and  degrada- 
tion. 

This  year  of  anxiety  and  trial  was 
fast  drawing  to  a  close,  and  every 
hope  of  retaining  the  homestead 
had  fled.  Winter  was  approaching 
and  everything  in  nature  wore  a 
desolate  aspect. 

It  was  a  dark  November  evening. 
The  storm  which  had  been  threat- 
ening all  day  had  set  in  with  un- 
wonted fury.  The  winds  shrieked 
and  moaned  through  the  long  leafless 
branches  of  the  lofty  elms  in  the 
yard,  while  ever  and  anon  volumes 


100  ALICE   EOSEDALE. 

of  blinding  rain  beat  against  the 
windows. 

It  was  an  evening  that  required 
a  cheerful  fireside  circle,  and  some 
hope  for  the  future  to  render  it  en- 
durable. Mr.  Rosedale  had  retired 
early,  complaining  of  slight  illness, 
and  after  Alice  had  seen  him  sink 
into  a  profound  slumber,  she  re- 
turned to  the  sitting  room  where 
Ella  sat,  seemingly  lost  in  gloomy 
thought. 

It  was  very  seldom  that  Alice 
allowed  herself  to  sink  into  despon- 
dency, but  that  evening  the  thought 
of  all  she  had  lost  in  the  sympathy 
and  affection  of  her  beloved  mother 
so  overpowered  her,  and  there  was 
present  in  her  mind  such  a  vivid 
sense  of  some  undefined  evil  in  con- 


AFFLICTIONS  AND  DUTIES.       101 

nection  with  her  brother,  that  all  her 
fortitude  gave  way,  and  she  sank 
into  a  reverie  so  deep  and  full  of 
darkness  that  she  was  really  alarmed. 
Her  hiding  place  so  frequently  re- 
sorted to,  in  former  times,  seemed 
beyond  her  reach.  Then  the  words 
of  her  dying  Lord  occurred  to  her 
mind,  ''  My  Grod,  why  hast  thou  for- 
saken me?  "  and  she  was  comforted. 
Had  he  endured  the  hidings  of  his 
Father's  face  to  atone  for  her  sins, 
and  should  she  murmur  because 
darkness,  for  a  time,  overshadowed 
her  path  ?  No  sooner  did  she  take 
this  view  of  the  subject,  than  light 
and  hope  and  confidence  entered  her 
mind,  and  she  murmured  aloud, 
"  Though  he  slay  me,  yet  will  I  trust 

in  him !" 

9  "^ 


102  ALICE    ROSEDALE. 

At  this  moment  a  noise  at  the 
gate  attracted  her  attention,  and 
soon  she  had  need  of  all  her  heaven- 
sent courage  and  strength ;  for, 
opening  the  door,  the  first  object 
she  saw  was  her  brother's  appa- 
rently lifeless  form  extended  upon  a 
litter  borne  by  four  of  his  drunken 
boon  companions,  even  then,  in  a 
state  of  partial  intoxication .  He  had 
received  a  terrible  wound  in  the  arm 
from  which  the  blood  was  still  issuing, 
which  proved  that  life  was  not  ex- 
tinct. Appalled  beyond  measure 
by  the  ghastly  spectacle,  Alice 
stood  trembling  for  a  moment,  but 
her  presence  of  mind  did  not  desert 
her,  neither  did  the  sense  of  depen- 
dence upon  her  Father  in  heaven 
depart.     She  saw  immediately  that 


AFFLICTIONS  AND  DUTIES.       103 

prompt  action  alone  would  save  her 
brother's  life,  and  she,  of  all  the 
group,  was  the  only  one  in  a  state 
to  act.  Entreating  the  wretched 
young  men  to  go  for  the  surgeon, 
after  they  had  laid  Alfred  upon  a 
sofa,  she  cal  mly  an  d  collectedly  seized 
the  first  bandage  that  came  in  her 
way,  and  bound  it  tightly  and  firm- 
ly around  the  arm  above  the  wound, 
thus  stopping,  in  a  measure,  the 
violence  of  the  bleeding.  Then  she 
applied  restoratives  to  his  nostrils 
and  consciousness  returned.  But 
the  surgeon — oh  if  he  were  here  now 
her  brother  might  live!  and  how 
precious  above  all  price,  now  ap- 
peared that  life  to  her,  from  which, 
if  severed,  the  immortal  spirit  must 
be  lost  for  ever  I 


104  ALICE   ROSEDALE. 

Rushing  to  the  door  she  heard 
shouts  from  the  drunken  revelers, 
which  revealed  to  her  the  fact  that 
they  had  not  gone  in  quest  of  the 
surgeon.  What  was  to  be  done  ? 
Her  aged  father  was  ill,  but  he  must 
be  aroused,  made  acquainted  with 
the  new  sorrow,  and  sent  for  assist- 
ance. ''Shall  I  go,"  asked  Ella, 
"to  awaken  him?" 

"  No !  please  stay  with  Alfred, 
I  must  go  myself." 

"  But  I  am  afraid  to  be  left  alone 
with  him,"  exclaimed  the  irresolute 
girl,  who  had  done  nothing  but 
wring  her  hands  and  weep. 

"  Then  come  with  me,  but  my 
poor  father  must  hear  these  heavy 
tidings  from  his  daughter's  lips." 
Aroused  from  his  heavy  slumber, 


AFFLICTIONS  AND   DUTIES.      105 

Mr.  Rosedale  was  indeed  a  support 
to  the  weary  girl.  Warmly  pro- 
tected from  the  storm  by  the  care- 
ful hand  of  Alice,  he  went  forth  into 
the  darkness,  and  at  the  nearest 
neighbour's  found  assistance  and 
returned. 

When  the  surgeon  had  taken  up 
the  severed  artery,  and  Alfred  was 
carried  to  his  room  of  suffering, 
Alice  took  her  place  as  nurse,  at  his 
bedside,  and  for  six  long  months, 
her  days  were  spent  in  the  same 
place.  Regular  watchers  were  pro- 
cured for  the  nights,  for  the  attend- 
ing physician  strictly  forbade  her 
to  attempt  to  attend  him  then,  if 
she  wished  to  preserve  her  own 
health.  A  severe  fever  followed  the 
wound,   and  Alfred's  constitution, 


1 06  ALICE   EOSEDALE. 

already  enfeebled  by  excessive  drink- 
ing, reeled,  and  threatened  to  give 
way.  Delirium  ensued,  and  for 
weeks  he  raved  incessantly  of  demons 
and  scenes  too  horrible  for  descrip- 
tion. Sometimes  his  ravings  as- 
sumed a  different  form,  and  then  he 
was  a  child  again,  and  his  mother 
seemed  to  lay  her  soft  white  hand 
upon  his  head  and  bless  him  ;  and 
then  she  gazed  upon  him  with  such 
a  pitying  eye  that  he  exclaimed, 
"  0  mother,  I  will  forsake  the  evil 
of  my  way,  and  be  all  that  you 
wish." 


A  NEW  SPHERE   OF   ACTION".     107 


CHAPTER  IV. 

A   NEW   SPHERE   OF   ACTION. 

Alfred's  illness  somewhat  re- 
tarded the  prosecution  of  a  plan 
which  Alice  had  formed  for  their 
future  support.  During  the  last 
trying  year  at  the  farm,  Alice  had 
not  folded  her  hands  in  idle  de- 
spondency. She  believed  that  the 
dark  cloud  had  "  its  silver  lining," 
and  that  He  who  hears  the  young 
ravens  when  they  cry  would  not 
*suffer  them  to  want.  Therefore, 
she  early  wrote  for  advice  to  her 
former  teacher,  Mr.  Elmer,  stating 
her  particular  trials    and  the  no- 


108  ALICE   ROSEDALE. 

cessity  of  her  labouring  for  the 
support  of  her  aged  parent.  That 
kind  man  had  immediately  written 
a  comforting  letter  to  her,  in  which 
he  offered  her  the  situation  of  Miss 
Embury,  which  was  soon  to  be  vacant. 
It  was  sufficiently  remunerative  and 
presented  strong  attractions  to  Alice. 
At  first  she  inclined  to  accept  it  un- 
conditionally;  but  as  her  brother 
began  slowly  to  amend,  and  there 
was  a  prospect  of  his  recovery,  it 
was  her  strong  desire  to  remove 
him  from  former  associates  and  in- 
fluences as  far  as  possible.  In  this 
endeavour  Mr.  Elmer  kindly  as- 
sisted her.  So  deep  was  his  interest 
in  his  former  pupil,  that  he  took  a 
long  journey  in  her  behalf,  into  a 
section  of  the  country  in  which  he 


A   NEW   SPHERE   OF   ACTIO]>l.     109 

had  many  wealthy  friends,  and  suc- 
ceeded in  procuring  for  her  a  class 
in  French  and  drawing,  which  would 
only  occupy  four  mornings  in  the 
week,  and  a  few  pupils  in  music  for 
two  of  the  afternoons.  This  kind 
and  considerate  arrangement  left 
Alice  much  time  unoccupied,  yet  was 
so  profitable  that  both  Mr.  Rosedale 
and  his  daughter  felt  that  it  would 
enable  them  to  live  in  comfort,  and 
grateful  hearts  poured  forth  the 
incense  of  praise  at  their  family 
altar,  when  it  was  decided  that  they 
were  to  go  to  Allington.  Mean- 
while Alfred  required  unceasing  at- 
tention. As  his  health  returned, 
his  appetite  for  strong  drink  re- 
vived,  and    although   he  had   not 

been  allowed  anything  of  the  kind 
10 


110  ALICE   ROSEDALE. 

for  more  than  seven  months,  it  was 
necessary  to  destroy  even  the  little 
store  that  had  been  kept  for  medi- 
cinal purposes  in  the  house,  so  com- 
pletely was  the  miserable  youth  the 
slave  of  appetite. 

At  such  times,  Alice  made  him  a 
refreshing  cup  of  coflfee,  and  some- 
times administered  a  medicine  left 
by  the  physician,  to  allay  the  irri- 
tability of  nerves  which  had  long- 
been  excited  by  a  powerful  stimu- 
lant. Then  she  would  talk  sooth- 
ingly and  encouragingly  to  him  until 
he  was  overcome  by  drowsiness  and 
fell  asleep.  When  he  awoke,  she 
would  remind  him  that  each  victory 
strengthened  him  in  the  right  way. 

During  the  illness  of  her  brother, 
Alice  had  observed  a  great  change 


A   NEW   SPHERE   OF   ACTIOIS'.     Ill 

in  Ella.  Encouraged  by  Mr.  Rose- 
dale,  she  had  performed  all  house- 
hold duties,  neglected  by  her  cousin's 
confinement  to  the  sick  room,  at 
first  awkwardly  to  be  sure,  but  re- 
ceiving  only  a  look  or  word  of  ap- 
proval for  the  effort,  she  endeavoured 
more  earnestly  to  correct  her  care- 
less habits,  until  she  proved  her- 
self to  be  a  real  assistant  to  Alice. 
She  at  times  seemed  to  be  lost  in 
deep  thought,  and  her  friends  began 
to  hope  that  the  truths  of  the  gospel 
were  weighing  upon  her  mind.  This 
gave  new  fervor  to  their  prayers, 
both  for  her  and  Alfred.  Before 
her-  brother  was  able  to  leave  the 
house,  all  arrangements  were  made 
for  leaving  the  place.  Mr.  Elmer 
had  engaged  a  cottage  for  them  at 


112  ALICE   ROSEDALE. 

Allington,  and  the  small  portion  of 
their  goods,  which  would  suffice  to 
furnish  it,  had  been  sent  on  before 
them. 

The  last  evening  at  the  dear  old 
place  had  come.  Never  had  the 
setting  sun  more  beautifully  illum- 
ined the  face  of  nature  than  on  that 
bright  May  evening.  ^'  Oh,  it  is  too 
lovely,"  sighed  Alice,  in  view  of  her 
departure,  '*  could  I  live  here  always 
I  might  not  desire  a  better  country." 
Then  she  stole  out  alone  to  her 
mother's  grave.  Around  it  the 
flowers  which  her  own  hand  had 
planted  and  watered  were  growing 
luxuriantly;  above  it  a  weeping 
willow  waved  back  and  forth  in  the 
breezy  air,  amid  whose  graceful 
branches   the    little  birds   chanted 


A   NEW   SPHERE   OF   ACTION.     113 

their  evening  songs.  The  far  off 
heaven  s.eemed  so  still  and  bright, 
and  clear,  that  Alice  gazed  and  gazed 
until  she  almost  felt  herself  trans- 
ported thither;  she  could  imagine 
the  raptures  of  that  blessed  land ; 
she  thought  not  of  the  toils  and  pri- 
vations of  earth,  but  her  tears  of 
sorrow  at  leaving  the  grave  of  her 
mother  were  changed  to  a  rapturous 
song  of  praise.  Earth  seemed  in- 
significant indeed,  when  compared 
with  the  glories  to  be  revealed  to 
those  who  love  God. 

To  Mr.  Rosedale,  the  farewell  was 
quite  another  matter.  All  his  life 
had  he  spent  in  the  shade  of  thoge 
trees.  She  whom  he  had  loved  as 
he  never  could  love  another,  slept 

there  until  the  morning  of  the  re- 
10* 


114  ALICE   EOSEDALE. 

surrection.  There  he  would  fain 
repose  after  his  waning  life  had 
ceased.  He  was  too  old  to  be  very 
deeply  interested  in  new  scenes. 
No  wonder  then  that  his  lip  quiv- 
ered and  tears  flowed  over  his 
furrowed  cheek  as  he  turned  fi'om 
that  little  grassy  mound.  'No  wonder 
that  his  aged  limbs  faltered  as  he 
passed  up  the  avenue  leading  to  the 
house,  on  which  the  last  rays  of  the 
sun  lingered  as  if,  like  himself,  un- 
willing to  leave  the  place.  Yet 
after  an  hour  spent  in  the  solitude 
of  his  room,  he  came  forth  and  led 
the  evening  devotions  with  a  meek- 
ness and  patience  in  his  manner 
quite  touching  to  behold. 

Seeing  this,  Alfred,  the  cause  of 
this  bitter  trial,   seemed  suddenly 


A   NEW   SPHEEE    OF   ACTION.     115 

to  awake  to  a  sense  of  the  enormity 
of  his  evil  doings  and  to  the  sacri- 
fices his  best  friends  had  been 
obliged  to  make  for  him. 

"  What  a  miserable  wretch  I  have 
been  !"  murmured  he,  as  he  passed 
from  the  room.  Alice,  who  heard 
the  remark,  observed  to  her  father, 
'•  It  may  be  that  the  very  trial, 
although  severe,  is  to  be  the  means 
of  bringing  Alfred  to  the  Saviour." 

Allington  was  two  days'  journey, 
by  railway,  from  their  native  place. 
They  arrived  near  the  evening  of 
the  second  day,  and  took  lodgings 
at  a  public  house.  Alfred  was 
almost  entirely  exhausted  by  the 
journey.  Alice  saw  him  comfort- 
ably cared  for,  and  leaving  her  father 
to  watch  over  him  she  summoned 


116  ALICE   ROSEDALE. 

Ella  and  repaired  to  the  cottage 
which  had  been  engaged  for  them. 
What  was  her  surprise  when  she 
found  the  furniture  all  arranged, 
new  carpets  on  the  floors,  and  every- 
thing in  exquisite  order,  even  to  the 
cheerful  fire  in  the  grate,  which  the 
coldness  of  the  evening  made  very 
acceptable !  It  was  a  pleasant  re- 
ception for  her,  planned  by  Mr. 
Elmer,  and  executed  in  part,  by 
the  grateful  Ella,  who  had  arrived 
one  day  previously  to  the  rest 
of  the  party.  The  carpets  were 
presents  from  her  prospective  pu- 
pils. In  a  short  time  Alfred  was 
removed  to  his  new  home,  but  no 
thrill  of  pleasure  entered  his  heart 
as  he  beheld  the  cheerful  place. 
Memory  was  busy  with  the  past,  and 


A  NEW  SPHERE  OF  ACTION.      117 

Alfred  Rosedale  was  reaping  some 
of  the  bitter  fruits  of  his  youthful 
folly. 

Not  so  Mr.  Rosedale.  He  lifted 
up  his  hands  in  grateful  thanksgiv- 
ing when  he  entered  the  convenient 
room  designed  for  him,  and  found 
himself  surrounded  by  the  familiar 
articles  of  home,  arranged  with  neat- 
ness and  taste.  His  large  armchair 
stood  near  a  table  on  which  lay  his 
well  thumbed  Bible  and  hymn-book. 

A  little  box  containing  a  beautiful 
pair  of  gold-bound  spectacles  at- 
tracted his  attention,  and  opening  a 
daintily  written  note  he  read : 

''  Dear  Sir, — Welcome  to  your 
home  in  Allington  !  Please  accept 
the  enclosed  as  a  slight  token  of 


118  ALICE    ROSEDALE. 

respect    from    the  pupils   of  your 
daughter." 

The  next  morning  was  bright  and 
beautiful.  After  prayers,  Mr.  Rose- 
dale  went  out  to  look  about  his  new 
home.  Then  to  his  inexpressible 
delight  he  found  a  large  garden  at- 
tached to  the  house,  and  Alice  was 
there  to  remind  him  that  it  was  to 
be  his  especial  care.  He  entered 
into  its  cultivation  with  great  earn- 
estness, and  soon  made  it  so  beauti- 
ful that  it  attracted  great  attention. 
Then  it  furnished  him  with  the 
means  of  making  many  a  little 
child  happy,  by  the  present  of  a 
bouquet  of  flowers,  and  many  a 
choice  collection  of  the  beauties  of  his 
garden  found  its  w^ay  into  the  sick 


A  ^^EW  SPHEEE  OF  ACTIOjS'.      119 

room  of  some  poor,  suffering  inva- 
lid. 

Alice  understood  the  matter  when 
she  wrote  to  Mr.  Elmer  that  the 
house  must  have  a  garden  ;  for  she 
knew  that  her  father  had  been  an 
active  man,  and  would  not  be  con- 
tented without  some  out-door  em- 
ployment ;  and  her  plan  worked  to 
a  charm,  for  the  garden  occupied  all 
the  time  that  Mr.  Rosedale  wished 
to  spare  from  his  reading.  In  the 
domestic  arrangements  Ella  took 
the  lead,  relieving  her  cousin,  in  a 
short  time,  of  almost  all  care  in  that 
department.  Alfred  was  the  only 
member  of  the  household,  who 
seemed  unhappy.  Removed  in  a 
great  measure,  from  temptation,  the 
appetite  for  strong  drink  was  becom- 


120  ALICE   EOSEDALE. 

ing  less  and  less,  yet  the  gloom  of  his 
spirit  increased  daily.  He  was  under 
deep  conviction  of  sin  for  a  long, 
long  time  before  he  would  acknow- 
ledge it  to  any  one,  as  if  it  were  a 
matter  to  be  ashamed  of.  Mr. 
Harrowby,  their  present  pastor,  was 
so  much  a  stranger  to  their  inner 
lives,  that  even  Mr.  Rosedale  and 
Alice  felt  bitterly  the  loss  of  Mr. 
Hammond's  faithful  instructions. 
A  year  passed  swiftly  away,  and 
Alice  was  very  happy  in  her  new 
situation.  How  could  she  be  other- 
wise when  by  her  industry  she  was 
enabled  to  procure  all  the  comforts 
of  life  for  those  so  dear  to  her; 
when  her  new  friends  were  ex- 
tremely kind  to  her,  and  fully  ap- 
preciated  her  services,  and  above 


A  NEW  SPHERE  OF  ACTIOTsT.       121 

all,  when  Alfred  had  been  sober 
for  more  than  eighteen  months.  Mr. 
Rosedale  was  cheerful  and  content- 
ed ;  he  was  more,  he  was  grateful  to 
Grod  that  the  lines  had  fallen  to  him 
in  so  pleasant  places.  Of  Ella  they 
had  the  cheering  hope  that  she  had 
l^assed  from  death  unto  life.  ^'  Alice," 
said  she,  ''  I  could  not  understand 
the  principle  which  induced  you  to 
be  so  patient  with  me,  and  do  so 
much  for  me  when  I  had  been  so 
very  unkind  to  you.  It  was  a  per- 
fect mystery  to  me,  but  it  spoke  well 
for  the  religion  which  you  professed, 
arid,  from  the  time  that  you  opened 
your  doors  to  the  friendless  orphan, 
I  resolved  if  that  religion  could  be 
found  by  diligent  search  it  should 

be  mine." 
11 


122  ALICE   ROSEDALE. 

It  was  beautiful  to  see  the  air  of 
refined  cheerfulness  which  religion 
diffused  over  the  hitherto  rude  girl. 
All  undue  levity  was  suppressed,  and 
her  naturally  exuberant  spirits  were 
a  source  of  real  pleasure  to  herself 
and  friends,  as  they  made  her  a  very 
agreeable  companion. 

It  was  about  this  time  that  the 
attention  of  Alice  was  directed  to  a 
small  settlement  at  no  great  dis- 
tance from  AUington,  where  the  lit- 
tle children  were  allowed  to  grow  up 
in  utter  ignorance,  not  only  of  their 
relations  to  God  but  of  all  worldly 
knowledge.  Their  time  was  spent 
in  the  woods  in  pursuit  of  herbs, 
berries,  or  anything  which  could  be 
exchanged  for  money  at  the  neigh- 
bouring town,  and  they  were  taught 


A   NEW   SPHERE   OF   ACTION.     123 

to  commit  petty  thefts  whenever 
they  could  do  so  without  fear  of  dis- 
covery. As  soon  as  Alice  arrived 
at  Allington,  she  connected  herself 
with  Mr.  Harro why's  Sabbath-school 
as  a  pupil,  but  was  soon  made  the 
teacher  of  a  class  of  nine  little  girls 
between  the  ages  of  ten  and  twelve 
years.  Mr.  Davis,  the  superinten- 
dent of  the  school,  was  a  man  keenly 
alive  to  the  interests  of  his  Master's 
kingdom,  and  he  made  himself 
acquainted  not  only  wdth  the  mem- 
/  bers  of  his  own  school,  but  with  the 
religious  wants  of  the  surrounding 
country.  Many  times  he  had  en- 
deavoured to  establish  a  Sabbath- 
school  at  the  place  just  mentioned, 
and  as  many  times  had  he  entirely 
failed  to  do  so.     The  children  were 


124  ALICE   ROSEDALE. 

allowed  to  attend  a  few  Sabbaths  for 
the  sake  of  the  new  suit  of  clothes 
promised  to  them,  and  when  they 
had  obtained  it  they  were  sent  into 
the  woods  again.  "  We  must  give  up 
that  plan  to  benefit  them/*  said  he, 
"  but  I  have  another  which  will  per- 
haps prepare  the  way  for  a  school 
at  some  future  day.  That  is  to  di- 
vide the  place  into  three  sections,  and 
give  each  section  to  one  of  our  fe- 
male teachers,  to  visit  the  people 
at  their  homes  and  converse  with 
them  upon  the  interests  of  their 
never-dying  souls.  The  women 
and  the  children  will  not  run  away 
from  them,  and  almost  our  only 
hope  is  in  the  children."  This  sug- 
gestion seemed  so  feasible  that  Mrs. 
Merton,  Miss  Day,  and  Alice  Rose- 


A   NEW   SPHEEE   OF   ACTION.     125 

dale  were  appointed  as  Sabbath- 
school  missionaries  for  the  desig- 
nated sections,  and  were  required 
to  keep  a  correct  account  of  their 
visits  and  report  at  the  monthly 
meeting  of  teachers. 

These  ladies  set  themselves  to  the 
work  in  earnest,  and  we  may  hear 
something  of  their  success  hereafter. 

Mr.  Davis  was  so  affable  in  his 
manner  toward  all  the  members  of 
his  beloved  school,  and  so  really 
desirous  to  promote  their  interests, 
temporal  as  well  as  spiritual,  that 
Alice,  who  had  few  advisers  in  the 
place^  ventured  to  consult  him  in 
relation  to  Alfred.  It  had  long 
been  her  wish  to  find  some  suit- 
able employment  for  him,  but  she 

wisely  chose  to  keep  him  at  home 
11* 


126  ALICE    ROSEDALE. 

until  she  could  find  a  place  where 
he  would  not  be  exposed  to  his 
peculiar  temptation. 

Alfred  had  been  early  apprenticed 
to  a  cabinet-maker,  and  had  gained 
some  knowledge  of  that  kind  of 
work  before  his  employer  dismissed 
him  on  account  of  his  misconduct. 
When  she  requested  an  interview 
with  Mr.  Davis  in  his  behalf,  that 
gentleman  invited  her  to  his  beauti- 
ful mansion  at  a  time  specified. 
Alice  was  received  so  kindly  by  Mrs. 
Davis,  that  she  felt  quite  at  ease,  not- 
withstanding the  unpleasant  nature 
of  her  errand.  She  was  aware  that 
Mr.  Davis  was  engaged  in  the 
furniture  business,  but  she  knew 
nothing  of  the  particulars  of  his 
manufactory.     When   she    learned 


,"^v 


A   NEW   SPHERE l(d*'Ii4T405r J.  127  T 

that  he  employed  some>!!Bjfy,6r  ^'jifty'^ 
hands,  the  hope  arose  within  her 
that  Alfred  might  be  permitted  to 
work  under  the  direction  of  so  good 
a  man.  She  told  Mr.  Davis  the 
whole  truth  in  regard  to  her  brother, 
not  without  deep  emotion,  in  which 
both  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Davis  strongly 
sympathized.  Mr.  Davis  was  a  man 
of  prompt  action.  ''Let  him  come 
to  me,  I  have  a  place  that  will  suit 
him  already  vacant,"  said  he,  ''  and 
Miss  Rosedale,  come  down  yourself 
to-morrow  if  your  father  can  walk 
so  far  to  accompany  you,  and  I  will 
gladly  show  you  both  my  plan  in 
regard  to  business.  Of  this  you 
may  be  sure,  your  brother  will  have 
no  possible  inducement  to  return  to 
his  previous   habits  while   on  my 


128  ALICE   ROSEDALE. 

premises.  I  have  seen  too  much 
of  the  evil  of  drunkenness,  to  allow 
anything  of  the  kind  there.''  Alice 
thanked  him  with  a  grateful  heart. 
"  Biit  Mr.  Davis,"  said  she,  *'  I  have 
another  favour  to  ask  of  you,  and 
that  is,  to  converse  with  my  brother 
upon  the  subject  of  religion,  for  I 
am  sure  that  he  is  now  agitating  the 
question  in  his  own  mind."  ''  I  will 
try  to  secure  his  good  will  and  con- 
fidence in  the  first  place,"  said  he, 
"  and  then  I  should  be  neglecting  a 
plain  Christian  duty  to  be  indiffferent 
to  his  highest  good.  Should  I  not, 
little  missionary  ?" 

As  Alice  gazed,  smilingly  through 
the  tears  that  dimmed  the  lustre  of 
her  bright  eyes,  at  the  kind  old 
gentleman,  whose  fine  face,  lighted 


A  J^EW  SPHERE  OF  ACTION.      129 

up  by  real  benevolence  of  soul,  was 
far  more  attractive  than  youth  and 
any  amount  of  beauty  can  ever 
make  a  face  where  this  virtue  does 
not  exist ;  she  felt  thankful  to  God, 
that  in  this  world  of  selfishness  and 
eager  desire  for  gain,  some  such  ex- 
amples as  the  one  before  her  are 
permitted  to  dwell,  to  show  that  the 
business  does  not  degrade  the  man, 
but  the  man  the  business. 

Mr.  Rosedale  and  Alice  were 
delighted  to  behold  the  perfect 
order  in  which  everything  moved  at 
M».  Davis's  manufactory.  They  saw 
at  a  glance  that  he  was  universally 
beloved  by  hi&^  men,  and  yet  that 
his  word  was  law. 

Alfred  manifested  no  interest  in 
the  matter.  A  sullen  despair  seemed 


130  ALICE   ROSEDALE. 

to  pervade  all  his  actions.  He  went 
to  his  work  mechanically,  laboured 
well  while  there,  Mr.  Davis  said, 
and  returned  with  the  same  mea- 
sured tread;  oh,  how  painfully  unlike 
the  bounding  elasticity  of  virtuous 
youth ! 

In  one  respect  only  did  he  seem 
to  exercise  any  will  of  his  own ;  he 
insisted  that  his  wages  should  be 
paid  to  his  father.  That  was  cer- 
tainly hopeful,  thought  Alice,  yet 
her  heart  ached  for  him,  when  she 
beheld  him  from  day  to  da^"  return- 
ing from  his  work  so  utterly  devoid 
of  joy.  He  had  been  employed  by 
Mr.  Davis  more  than  three  months 
before  the  latter  could  induce  him 
to  attend  church  and  Sabbath -school. 
But  this  event  was  an  era  in  the  life 


A  NEW  SPHERE  OF  ACTIOIS"       131 

of  the  unhappy  youth.  He  was 
placed  in  a  class  of  young  men  con- 
ducted by  Charles  Willard,  a  youth 
of  nearly  his  own  age,  who  had  long- 
been  a  devoted  Christian,  and  was 
almost  prepared  for  the  ministry. 
This  young  man  was  at  once  attract- 
ed by  the  suffering  face  of  Alfred^ 
and  having  so  constant  a  source  of 
joy  in  his  own  bosom,  he  felt  the 
most  ardent  desire  that  his  young 
friend  might  drink  at  the  same  in- 
exhaustible fountain.  In  a  short 
time  he  won  the  respect  and  con- 
fidence of  the  desponding  youth, 
and  then  Alfred  frankly  confessed 
to  him  that  he  believed  the  doctrines 
that  he  had  been  taught  from  his 
youth,  from  the  Bible  and  Catechism 
to  be  substantially  true;  ''jeV^  said 


132  ALICE   ROSEDALE. 

he, "  they  do  not  seem  to  me  to  be  right. 
The  doctrine  of  election,  as  taught 
by  your  church,  is  so  incomprehen- 
sible to  me,  that  I  would  fain  think 
you  were  in  error,  until  I  turn  to 
the  Bible,  and  there  I  find  it  ex- 
pressed as  strongly.  What  shall 
I  do  ?  It  is  this  that  staggers  me." 
"  With  the  doctrine  of  election,"  re- 
plied his  friend,  ''  you  have  now  just 
nothing  to  do.  You  must  ad- 
mit that  God  has  a  perfect  right  to 
do  as  he  will  with  the  creatures 
which  his  own  hand  has  made,  yet 
I  repeat  you  have  nothing  to  do 
with  the  matter  at  present.  God  says, 
if  any  man  will  do  his  will,  he  shall 
know  of  the  doctrine.  It  is  now 
your  duty  to  do  the  will  of  God." 
"What  is  it?"    exclaimed  Alfred, 


A   NEW   SPHERE   OF   ACTION.     133 

eagerly,  ^'  0  if  I  could  know  and  do 
it!"  ''You  can,  my  friend,"  said 
his  teacher ;  "  it  is  simply  this,  '  re- 
pent and  believe  on  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  and  thou  shalt  be  saved;' 
The  promise  is  sure."  Light  and 
truth  faintly  dawned  in  the  hither- 
to dark  mind.  Mr.  Willard,  seeing 
his  situation,  bowed  at  the  mercy- 
seat  in  prayer.  Alfred  kneeled  by 
his  side,  and  ere  they  arose  from 
their  knees,  another  soul  was  born 
into  the  kingdom.  "  There  is  joy 
in  heaven  over  one  sinner  that  re- 
penteth,"  and  there  was  joy  in  the 
hearts  of  these  two  young  friends 
as  they  left  Mr.  Willard's  apartment, 
and  went  out  under  the  starry 
heavens    that    night.      Long  they 

walked,  arm  in  arm,  conversing  upon 
1^ 


134  ALICE   ROSEDALE. 

the  wondrous  plan  for  the  rescue 
of  fallen  man.  Oh  if  there  is  any- 
thing lovely  on  earth  it  is  a  friend- 
ship like  that  of  these  two  young 
men!  Reaching  forward,  it  over- 
steps the  bounds  of  time  and  antici- 
pates an  eternal  and  ever-increasing 
state  of  holy  love  beyond  the  grave. 
This  gives  zest  to  every  passing 
j)leasure,  and  Alfred  Rosedale,  after 
wandering  so  long  in  the  forbidden 
paths  of  worldly  amusements,  felt 
himself  suddenly  elevated  to  a 
sphere  so  high  and  ennobling  that 
it  seemed  almost  heaven  begun 
below. 

It  was  late  when  he  returned  to 
his  home  that  night,  and  the  family 
had  retired  to  rest.  He  repaired  to 
his  own  apartment,  but  not  to  sleep. 


A   NEW   SPHEKE    OF   ACTIOIS".     135 

His  mind  was  too  much  occupied 
with  joy  and  gratitude,  for  repose, 
and  he  spent  the  night  in  praise  and 
thanksgiving. 

In  the  morning  he  descended  to 
the  breakfast  room,  just  in  season 
for  prayers,  and  there  he  told  the 
delighted  family  all  that  God  had 
done  for  his  soul.  Although  they 
had  been  praying  long  and  earnestly 
for  this  very  blessing,  they  were  not 
prepared  for  an  answer  so  full  of 
peace.  The  aged  father  lifted  up 
his  voice  and  wept,  as  he  exclaimed, 
"  This  my  son  was  dead  and  is  alive 
again ;  was  lost,  and  is  found." 

Alfred  entreated  them  to  forgive 
his  past  oifences,  and  asked  them  to 
pray  that  he  might  have  strength 
given  him  from   above  to   lead  a 


136  ALICE   ROSEDALE. 

Christian  life.  Alone  with  his  sis- 
ter, he  said,  "  0  Alice,  had  it  not  been 
for  your  kindness  and  your  love, 
I  believe  the  good  seed  sown  by 
our  precious  mother  would  have 
been  lost.  Your  example  was  some- 
thing that  I  could  not  explain,  except 
by  referring  to  a  higher  motive 
power  than  I  had  ever  known  ex- 
perimentally.'' '^  Grive  all  the  honour 
and  praise  of  your  salvation  unto 
our  Grod,  my  brother, "  replied  Alice  ; 
**  he  sometimes  employs  very  feeble 
instruments  in  his  works  of  mercy." 


MISSIONARY  LABOUR  AT  HOME.    137 


CHAPTER  V. 

MISSIONARY  LABOUR  AT   HOME. 

Mrs.  Merton,  Miss  Day,  and 
Alice  Rosedale  met  frequently  for 
consultation  respecting  the  religious 
interests  of  Herbvale,  as  the  squalid 
little  village  was  called;  yet  they 
went  separately  to  their  work,  pro- 
vided with  tracts  and  little  picture 
books  for  children.  The  first  call 
of  Alice  was  at  a  poor  little  hovel 
where  she  found  a  girl  about  fifteen 
years  of  age  taking  care  of  a  sickly 
babe.  Upon  inquiry,  she  found 
that  the  mother  of  the  child   was 

deadi.  and  that  its  elder  sister  had 
12* 


138  ALICE    ROSEDALE. 

been  its  only  nurse  since  the  little 
sufferer  was  born.  The  father  was 
addicted  to  intemperance.  This 
slender  girl  contrived  to  earn  a 
scanty  livelihood  for  the  family  by 
weaving  baskets.  There  were  two 
other  children,  not  yet  old  enough 
to  assist  poor  Hannah,  except  in  the 
berry  season,  when  they  could  earn 
a  small  sum  each  day.  Alice  was 
at  once  interested  in  the  quiet,  care- 
worn girl.  She  took  the  babe  in 
her  arms,  sat  down  by  her  side, 
and  spoke  to  her  of  her  mother. 
Tears  started  into  the  eyes  of  the 
girl,  who  seemed  unused  to  kindness. 
Little  by  little,  Alice  won  her  way 
into  her  heart.  She  could  neither 
read  nor  write.  Alice  asked  her  if 
she  would  try  to  learn,  provided  she 


"  This  slender  girl  contrived  to  earn  a  scanty  livelihood  for  the 
family  by  weaving  baskets.  p.  138. 


MISSIONARY  LABOUR  AT  HOME.    139 

should  come  to  instruct  her  every 
Saturday  afternoon.  Hannah  said 
it  was  what  she  long  had  wished. 
After  telling  her  of  Him  who 
said,  ''  Come  unto  me,  all  ye  that 
labour  and  are  heavy  laden,  and 
I  will  give  you  rest,"  Alice  took  her 
leave. 

Oh  there  is  something  in  the  gospel 
particularly  applicable  to  cases  like 
this !  So  little  happiness  had  this  poor 
girl  on  earth,  that  she  eagerly  caught 
at  the  hope  of  joy  in  the  world  to 
come.  The  seed  that  was  scattered 
there,  was  sown  on  good  ground. 
Hannah  had  always  been  a  thought- 
ful girl.  She  was  ignorant,  but  she 
desired  to  know  the  way  of  life. 

xllice  called  on  eight  large  families 
that  first  afternoon.     Some  of  these 


140  ALICE    ROSEDALE. 

could  read,  some  could  not.  Of  tlie 
latter  a  few  promised  to  meet  her 
on  the  next  Saturday  afternoon. 
Alice  shrank  not  from  the  severe 
task  of  teaching  those  ignorant  chil- 
dren their  alphabet,  and  she  had  her 
reward;  for  her  kind  manner  at- 
tracted more  children  than  she  had 
hoped  for,  and  she  made  it  a  point 
to  speak  to  them  plainly  and  simply 
of  the  great  truths  of  the  Bible. 
Hannah  Wood  made  astonishing 
progress  in  her  studies.  At  the 
close  of  the  first  summer  she  could 
read  tolerably,  and  had  made  some 
progress  in  writing.  The  other 
ladies  had  the  satisfaction  of  draw- 
ing out  the  children  without  oppo- 
sition from  the  parents,  and  the 
work  of  instruction  prospered.     Mr. 


MISSIONAKY  LABOUK  AT  HOME.    141 

Davis  was  highly  delighted  at  the 
success  of  his  scheme.  "  Next  sum- 
mer," said  he,  ''  Providence  permit- 
ing,  we  will  have  a  school  over 
there."  In  the  mean  time  winter 
was  rapidly  approaching,  yet  would 
not  the  ladies  think  of  giving  up 
their  labour  of  love.  A  widow 
woman,  who  feared  the  Lord,  lived 
in  the  midst  of  this  moral  wilderness. 
She  offered  her  small,  but  neat  room 
for  the  school  during  the  winter. 

Mr.  Davis  commissioned  Charles 
Willard  to  take  his  carriage  and 
drive  the  ladies  to  Herbvale  every 
Saturday  afternoon.  The  children 
all  assembled  and  quite  filled  the 
little  room.  Mr.  Willard  opened 
the  school  with  a  most  fervent 
prayer,    clothed    in     language    so 


142  ALICE   ROSEDALE. 

simple  that  these  poor  ignorant  little 
ones  could  understand,  and  then 
withdrew  to  leave  the  ladies  alone 
with  their  charge.  Of  Hannah, 
Alice  had  a  trembling  hope  that  she 
was  a  Christian,  *yet  she  thought  it 
would  be  best  not  to  be  too  hasty 
in  expressing  such  a  belief  to  the 
girl. 

Occasionally  some  of  the  parents 
dropped  in,  and  were  never  per- 
mitted to  depart  without  a  friendly 
invitation  to  come  to  Jesus.  They 
began  to  ask  that  some  of  the  peo- 
ple might  come  over  and  hold  a 
prayer  meeting  in  their  neighbour- 
hood. Soon  after  the  little  place 
was  thrown  into  consternation  by 
the  wretched  death  of  poor  little 
Hannah's  father.     He  was  run  over 


missioj^aey  labour  at  home.  143 

by  a  railroad  train  while  intoxicated, 
and  instantly  killed.  Inebriates 
were  aroused  for  the  moment,  and 
Alfred  Rosedale  could  hesitate  no 
longer.  ''  I  am  a  brand  plucked 
from  the  burning,"  exclaimed  he. 
''  I  w^ill  go  over,  it  may  be  that  some 
poor  drunkard  will  listen  to  me." 
N"o  one  attempted  to  restrain  him. 
Mr.  Davis  and  Mr.  Willard  accom- 
panied him,  and  it  was  wonderful 
to  hear  the  eloquence  and  pathos  of 
his  address.  Attention  was  aroused ; 
three  or  four  young  men  came  up 
to  the  speaker,  and  declared  their 
intention  of  abandoning  their  cups 
immediately.  That  was  not  all. 
The  door  was  now  fairly  opened  for 
these  earnest  Christians.  Charles 
and  Alfred  left  their  own  church  in 


144  ALICE   ROSEDALE. 

the  afternoons  and  went  over  to 
speak  to  them  from  full  hearts.  The 
message  was  heard,  the  Spirit  was 
given  in  answer  to  prayer,  and  many- 
were  converted  to  God.  In  the 
midst  of  his  rejoicing,  Mr.  Davis 
knew  the  work  was  but  half  done. 

*'  They  must  have  some  steady 
employment,"  exclaimed  he,  '^  or 
they  will  relapse  into  their  old 
habits  of  robbing  hen  roosts  and 
orchards.  I  will  think  the  matter 
over."  With  this  good  man  thought 
was  action.  There  was  a  simple 
article  of  his  trade  which  was  in 
great  demand,  but  which  could  be 
easily  made,  and  as  he  thought  of 
this  his  plan  was  formed.  He  put 
up  a  very  simple  workshop  over  in 
Herbvale,  and  gave  it  into  the  care 


MISSIONAKY  LABOUR  AT  HOME.    145 

of  Alfred  Rosedale.  He  provided 
material,  arranged  the  prices  of 
labour,  and  stipulated  the  number 
of  hands  to  be  engaged  in  the  work. 
The  wages  were  not  high,  but  Alfred 
succeeded  in  impressing  upon  the 
minds  of  many  of  the  men  the  ad- 
vantages of  steady  labour,  and  the 
shop  was  filled.  It  required  no 
little  tact  to  manage  so  many  new 
and  undisciplined  labourers,  but 
Alfred  soon  proved  that  he  pos- 
sessed superior  powers  in  this  re- 
spect. He  managed  the  business  so 
well  that  Mr.  Davis  was  more  than 
satisfied  ;  he  was  delighted.  His 
kind  heart  glowed  with  honest  plea- 
sure at  the  result  of  his  plan. 

Herbvale  in  the  succeeding  sum- 
mer was  quite  another  place.    Alfred 
13 


146  ALICE   ROSEDALE. 

encouraged  all  the  men  to  cultivate 
vegetable  gardens,  and  Alice  sug- 
gested to  the  women  that  their  little 
cots  might  be  made  attractive  by 
flowers.  She  gave  them  seeds  and 
roots  from  her  father's  large  store, 
and  the  wilderness  began  to  blossom 
as  the  rose. 

A  plain  edifice  was  erected,  in 
part  by  contributions  for  the  purpose, 
and  every  Sabbath  afternoon  the 
young  men  of  Mr.  Harrowby's 
church  went  over  and  held  a  prayer 
meeting  there.  A  good  female 
teacher  was  engaged  for  the  week, 
and  the  children  were  induced  to  at- 
tend school  regularly.  The  men 
forsook  their  cups,  and  the  women 
gave  more  attention  to  their  house- 
holds. Alfred  Rosedale  became  very 


MISSIOiS'ARY  LABOUR  AT  HOME.    147 

clear  to  the  people.  Mr.  Davis  had 
a  plan  for  him.  One  day  he  called 
him  to  him.  "  Alfred,"  said  he, 
''the  shop  over  there  is  yours;  here  is 
a  bill  of  sale  of  the  place.  It  has 
cost  me  comparatively  nothing,  yet 
it  is  no  mean  commencement  for 
you.''  .  ^OY  was  it.  The  business 
prospered  under  his  discreet  man- 
agement, and  was  extended  gradu- 
ally until  Alfred  Rosedale  stood  at 
the  head  of  a  large  manufacturing 
establishment.  Other  trades  were 
attracted  to  the  spot,  and,  its  natural 
advantages  being  good,  Herbvale 
soon  became  a  thrifty  village.  The 
unsightly  little  hovels  were  by  de- 
grees removed,  and  tidy,  substantial 
dwellings  succeeded  them. 

The  love  of  this  reformed  inebriate 


148  ALICE   ROSEDALE. 

for  the  place  of  his  adoption  was 
ardent  in  the  extreme,  and  he  was 
unwearied  in  his  efforts  for  its  im- 
provement. So  strong  was  his  in- 
fluence in  favour  of  temperance,  that 
no  liquor  dealer  could  be  sustained 
there,  and  drunkenness  was  almost 
unknown.  Life  then  was  full  of 
usefulness  and  happiness  for  Alfred. 
He  looked  back  upon  the  past  with 
sorrow  for  his  misspent  years,  and 
with  joy  for  his  deliverance  from 
the  snares  of  the  adversary.  To  the 
future  he  turned  with  trembling 
hope,  for  he  did  not  trust  in  his  own 
strength  for  preservation  from  a 
relapse  into  his  old  habits  ;  but  all 
his  trust  was  in  Him  w^ho  is  able  to 
succour  the  tempted.  Active  employ- 
ment preserved    him    from  many 


MISSIO:NrARY  LABOUR  AT  HOME.    149 

evils,  but  often  he  felt  his  strength 
to  be  perfect  weakness,  and  at  such 
seasons  he  knew  the  blessedness  of 
having  a  strong  refuge  unto  which 
he  might  continually  resort.  His 
aged  father  rejoiced  in  seeing  his 
son  a  useful  and  respected  member 
of  society,. and  Alice  was  happy  in 
the.  prosperity  of  her  only  brother ; 
but  there  was  one  member  of  the 
household  who  felt  more  than  a 
fatherly  or  sisterly  interest  in  the 
success  of  the  young  man.  Ella 
Maxwell  had  watched  his  earnest 
efforts  in  the  path  of  duty  with  many 
a  prayer  for  his  protection  from  evil, 
and  the  youth  had  not  been  insen- 
sible to  her  kind  expostulation  when 
danger  threatened,  or  to  her  words 

of  encouragement  after  some  signal 
13* 


150  ALICE   ROSEDALE. 

victory.  Her  influence  over  him  had 
been  highly  beneficial,  and  gratitude 
on  the  part  of  the  youth  soon  ripened 
into  a  deeper  sentiment.  There 
was  an  earthly  hope  in  his'heart  which 
irradiated  the  future — a  quiet  home 
in  Herb  vale,  with  his  much  resj^ec- 
ted  friend  for  a  companion,  a  peace- 
ful asylum  for  the  declining  years  of 
his  venerable  parent,  and  a  resting 
place  for  his  beloved  sister. 

Toward  this  end  his  daily  labours 
tended,  yet  neither  Ella  nor  his  re- 
latives suspected  that  such  was  his 
deeply  laid  plan.  He  wished  to 
convince  the  object  of  his  affections 
that  he  was  worthy  to  be  trusted, 
before  he  besought  her  to  confide 
her  worldly  happiness  to  his  keep- 
ing.    Meanwhile  Ella  was  labour- 


MISSIONAEY  LABOUR  AT  HOME.    151 

ing  incessantly  to  supply  the  defects 
of  her  education,  and  that  which 
mere  industry  could  not  accomplish 
was  conquered  by  earnest  prayer 
and  corresponding  effort,  and  it  was 
a  joyful  day  for  Alice  when  Ella, 
two  years  later,  with  beaming  eyes, 
informed  .  her  that  she  had  so  far 
triumphed  over  her  difficulties  as  to 
possess  the  qualifications  for  a  com- 
mon school  teacher.  ''And  now, 
dear  Alice,"  said  she, ''  I  can  be  bur- 
densome to  you  no  longer.  I  am 
going  away,  as  soon  as  I  can  obtain 
a  situation,  and  God  will  some  time 
enable  me  to  repay  the  debt  of  grat- 
titude  I  owe  to  you  and  your  family." 
"You  can  repay  it  without  taking  all 
that  trouble,"  said  a  well-known  voice 
behind  her;  and  turning,  the  earnest 


152  ALICE   ROSEDALE. 

gaze  of  Alfred  Rosedale  met  her 
eyes.  Alice,  casting  an  arch  look 
at  Ella,  quickly  absented  herself, 
and  when  the  family  next  met, 
Alfred  presented  the  tearful,  blush- 
ing Ella  to  his  father  and  sister  as 
his  affianced  bride. 

A  neat  and  tasteful  dwelling  was 
erected  upon  the  banks  of  a  pictur- 
esque little  stream  in  Herbvale,  all 
the  surroundings  of  which  strongly 
resembled  the  former  home  of  the 
Rosedales  at  Riverside.  The  lofty 
elms  and  the  grand  mountain  scene- 
ry were  wanting,  yet  was  the  place 
beautiful  in  its  tastefully  arranged 
grounds,  flowering  shrubbery,  and 
silvery  fountains.  To  this  beautiful 
home  Alfred  Rosedale,  six  years 
after  the  departure  from  Riverside, 


MISSIOT^TARY  LABOUR  AT  HOME.    153 

took  his  aged  father,  his  sister,  and 
his  bride.  The  table  was  laid  for 
tea,  and  the  hour  for  the  evening 
devotions  had  arrived.  The  family 
Bible  was  placed  in  the  trembling 
hands  of  the  aged  saint,  who  read 
aloud  the  folio wi  ng  passages :  ' '  Lord, 
thou  hast  been  our  dwelling-place 
in  all  generations.  Except  the  Lord 
build  the  house,  they  labour  in 
vain  that  build  it.  I  have  been 
young  and  now  am  old ;  yet  have 
I  not  seen  the  righteous  forsaken 
nor  his  seed  begging  bread.  So 
teach  us  to  number  our  days  that 
we  may  apply  our  hearts  unto  wis- 
dom. 0  satisfy  us  early  with  thy 
mercy  that  we  may  be  glad  and  rejoice 
all  our  days.  Make  us  glad  accord- 
ing to  the  days  wherein  thou  hast 


154  ALICE   EOSEDALE. 

afflicted  us,  and  the  years  wherein 
we  have  seen  evil.  Let  thy  work 
appear  unto  thy  servants,  and  thy 
glory  unto  their  children."  He 
closed  the  book,  and  a  tear  stole  down 
his  furrowed  cheek.  He  was  think- 
ing of  the  departed.  Then  the  others 
commenced  to  chant  the  beautiful 
twenty- third  psalm.  ''  The  Lord  is 
my  shepherd,  I  shall  not  want.  He 
maketh  me  to  lie  down  in  green 
pastures ;  he  leadeth  me  beside  the 
still  waters.  He  restoreth  my  soul, 
he  leadeth  me  in  the  paths  of  right- 
eousness for  his  name's  sake.  Yea 
though  I  walk  through  the  valley 
and  shadow  of  death,  I  will  fear  no 
evil,  for  thou  art  with  me ;  thy  rod 
and  thy  staff  they  comfort  me. 
Thou  preparest  a  table  before  me  in 


MISSIONARY  LABOUR  AT  HOME.    155 

the  presence  of  mine  enemies  ;  thou 
anointeist  my  head  with  oil ;  my 
cup  runneth  over.  Surely  goodness 
and  mercy  shall  follow  me  all  the 
days  of  my  life  ;  and  I  will  dwell  in 
the  house  of  the  Lord  for  ever." 

That  evening  was  a  scene  of  family 
joy  with  which  the  stranger  inter- 
meddleth  not.  From  its  pure  and 
holy  influences  strength  was  derived 
for  the  active  duties  of  the  real  life 
on  which  the  youthful  pair  had 
entered.  Happy  in  each  other,  and 
paying  the  most  devoted  attention 
to  their  aged  parent,  Alfred  and 
Ella  did  not  allow  their  charity  to 
end  at  home.  Much  had  already 
been  done  in  Plerbvale — much  re- 
mained to  be  done.  Influential 
members  of  society  as  they  were, 


156  ALICE   EOSEDALE. 

their  whole  example  must  be  worthy 
of  the  religion  they  professed.  The 
erring  and  the  destitute  must  be 
sought  out,  the  afflicted  must  be 
visited,  and  above  all  the  people  must 
enjoy  the  stated  means  of  grace.  A 
church  edifice  must  be  erected,  and  a 
pastor  called  to  break  unto  the  people 
the  bread  of  life.  Sabbath-school  in- 
struction had  prepared  the  way,  and 
Alfred  entered  the  work  of  organiz- 
ing a  religious  society  with  but  few 
misgivings  as  to  its  ultimate  success. 
Still  he  found  much  more  opposition, 
coldness,  and  indifference  than  he 
expected,  and  it  was  no  little  labour 
to  remove  prejudices  and  prepare 
the  way  for  the  union  of  the  people 
in  one  religious  denomination. 
Meanwhile    the    Sabbath-school 


MISSIOIS^ARY  LABOUR  AT  HOME.    157 

and  the  prayer- meeting  flourished. 
Ella  and  Alice  laboured  side  by  side 
in  every  good  work.  Charles  Wil- 
lard  had  been  absent  some  time  on 
a  missionary  tour  in  a  distant  part 
of  the  country.  He  felt  that  this 
work  was  an  excellent  preparation 
for  the  duties  of  the  ministry.  Al- 
fi'ed's  friendship  for  him  was  un- 
abated. It  was  his  earnest  wish 
that  his  friend  might  become  his 
pastor.  Grreat  was  his  disappoint- 
ment therefore,  when  to  his  urgent 
request  that  Mr.  Willard  would 
bear  Herbvale  in  mind  before  ac- 
cepting a  call  elsewhere,  he  replied 
that  present  duties  would  engross 
his  attention  for  many  months,  after 
which  it  would  be  necessary  for  him 

to  visit  Europe  on  important  busi- 
14 


158  ALICE   ROSEDALE. 

ness  for  his  father.  At  the  same 
time  he  recommended  to  his  atten- 
tion one  of  his  class  mates,  Mr. 
Anson,  a  young  man  of  respectable 
talents  and  fervent  piety.  This 
gentleman  answered  Alfred's  appeal 
by  coming  in  person  to  Herbvale, 
and  commencing  his  labours  by 
preaching  in  the  town  hall.  During 
the  week  he  was  untiring  in  his  at- 
tentions to  the  sick  and  afflicted, 
and  little  children  were  speedily 
won  by  his  real  love  for  them,  and 
the  interest  he  manifested  in  their 
studies  and  amusements.  So  well 
did  he  please  the  people  that  he  had 
not  been  with  them  three  months 
ere  they  gave  him  a  unanimous  call 
to  become  their  pastor.  He  en- 
deavoured conscientiously  to  preach 


rOhl  .  i'     3JLT' 

MISSIONAEY  LABC^R  It  HOME.    159 

the  whole  truth  conta!t»€d  in  the 
gospel;  and  to  hide  self  behind  that 
truth.  There  was  a  charm  attend- 
ing  such  preaching  which  attracted 
even  those  who  differed  from  him 
in  doctrine.  In  a  short  time  the 
church  was  finished,  and  great  joy 
was  manifested  when  the  solemn 
bell  first  awaked  the  echo  of  the  for- 
est. A  high  school  was  soon  estab- 
lished and  Alice  Rosedale  accepted 
the  situation  of  principal.  Her  in- 
fluence over  her  class  of  young  la- 
dies in  Mr.  Harrowby's  Sabbath- 
school  had  been  such  that  some  of 
their  parents  immediately  placed 
their  daughters  under  her  tuition. , 
A  large  field  of  usefulness  then 
opened  before  this  faithful  teacher, 
which  she   exerted  all  her  powers 


160  ALICE   ROSEDALE. 

to  improve  to  the  utmost.  The  re- 
sult of  all  her  labours  cannot  be 
known  on  earth,  but  many  cheering 
cases  of  youthful  consecration  came 
under  her  observation.  Among 
these  she  had  the  sweet  satisfaction 
of  seeing  her  entire  Sabbath-school 
class  active  members  of  the  church 
of  Christ. 

For  two  years  she  laboured  in  this 
new  sphere,  almost  forgetting  that 
she  had  duties  to  perform  in  regard 
to  her  bodily  health.  Afterwards 
she  felt  that  it  was  even  sinful  for 
her  to  be  so  utterly  regardless  of 
this  great  blessing.  Wearied  nature 
demanded  repose,  and  no  repose  did 
the  active  teacher  allow  herself  until 
she  was  prostrated  upon  a  bed  of 
sickness.     Then  in   weariness  and 


MISSIONARY  LABOUR  AT  HOME.    161 

anguish  of  body  she  tossed  restless- 
ly from  side  to  side,  delirious  and 
distressed.  Sometimes  she  conversed 
rationally  upon  various  subjects, 
and  her  friends  received  comforting 
replies  to  their  inquiries  concern- 
ing her  frame  of  mind,  but  when 
she  recovered  all  was  a  blank ;  she 
had  no  recollection  of  anything  that 
had  taken  place  in  her  illness.  As 
health  slowly  returned,  a  new  trial 
awaited  her.  Her  father  had  long 
been  slowly  declining,  but  so  con- 
stant and  joyful  was  his  communion 
with  the  Father  of  his  spirit,  that 
his  aged  countenance  always  wore 
an  expression  of  holy  joy,  which 
prevented  the  appearance  of  bodily 
suffering.     He  was  passing  to  the 

grave   as   corn   fully  ripe  for    the 
14* 


162  ALICE    ROSEDALE. 

harvest.  His  hoary  head  gave 
solemnity  to  the  words  he  was  con- 
tinually speaking  for  Jesus.  There 
was  no  terror  in  a  death  like  his. 
He  took  his  evening  meal  with  the 
family,  and  conducted  the  devotions 
as  usual.  All  present  were  im- 
pressed with  the  deep  spirituality 
and  fervour  of  his  prayer.  Alice  as- 
sisted him  to  his  chamber,  and 
lingered  fondly  to  arrange  every- 
thing for  his  comfort.  He  entreated 
her  to  retire  to  seek  the  rest  her 
feeble  frame  so  much  needed,  and 
then  drawing  her  tenderly  toward 
him  as  he  bade  her  good  night,  he 
said,  ''You  have  been  a  precious 
treasure  to  your  father,  my  daughter ; 
remember  the  words  of  your  Saviour, 
'  Be  thou  faithful  unto  death  and  I 


MISSIONAKY  LABOUR  AT  HOME.    163 

will  give  thee  a  crown  of  life.'  " 
Alice  left  him  rather  unwillingly, 
as  he  appeared  more  feeble  than 
usual,  and  often  during  the  evening, 
she  ran  up  stairs  to  listen  at  the  door 
of  his  room.  At  one  time  she  heard 
him  engaged  in  earnest  prayer.  It 
was  not  an  hour  later  that  she  passed 
by  his  door  on  the  way  to  her  own 
apartment,  and  as  all  was  quiet  she 
stepped  softly  into  the  room,  shield- 
ing with  her  hand  the  rays  of  the 
night  lamp  from  the  eyes  of  the 
sleeper.  Useless  precaution !  for 
those  eyes  were  for  ever  veiled  from 
earthly  scenes — the  spirit  had  fled. 
Death  had  done  its  work  so  gently 
that  it  had  left  only  the  appearance 
of  a  peaceful  sleep.  And  such  it 
was.     Throughout  the  Bible  death 


164  ALICE   ROSEDALE. 

is  thus  spoken  of  to  those  who  be- 
lieve. 

"  Asleep  in  Jesus ;  blessed  sleep, 
From  which  none  ever  wakes  to  weep  ; 
A  calm  and  undisturbed  repose 
Unbroken  by  the  last  of  foes.'* 

At  Riverside  his  earthly  remains 
sleep  calmly  by  the  side  of  his  un- 
forgotten  lost  one,  until  the  morn- 
ing of  the  resurrection. 

**  Their  flesh  shall  slumber  in  the  ground 
Till  the  last  trumpet's  joyful  sound ; 
Then  burst  the  chains  with  sweet  surprise, 
And  in  their  Saviour's  image  rise. 


CONCLUSION.  165 


CHAPTER  VI. 

CONCLUSION. 

A  STEAMER  was  dancing  proudly 
across  the  blue  waters  of  the  Medi- 
terranean on  its  return  voyage  from 
Syria  to  England.  The  day  had 
been  warm  and  sultry,  but  the  even- 
ing breezes  were  cool  and  refreshing. 
Nearly  all  the  passengers  were  on 
deck  to  enjoy  the  beauties  of  the 
sunset  hour.  Deeply  absorbed  in 
watching  the  gorgeous  coloring  of 
the  clouds,  a  gentleman  and  lady 
stood  a  little  apart  from  the  group. 
They  were  still  in  the  prime  of  life, 
although  here  and  there  a  silvery 


166  ALICE   ROSEDALE. 

thread  revealed  itself  amid  the 
dark  hair  of  the  gentleman,  and  his 
countenance  bore  the  impress  of 
feeble  health.  They  were  return- 
ing from  a  missionary  station  in 
Syria,  on  account  of  the  failinghealth 
of  Mr.  Willard.  The  lady,  whose 
countenance,  even  amid  the  cares 
of  middle  life,  had  not  lost  the 
chief  charm  of  her  girlhood,  was  our 
friend  Alice.  For  ten  years  she 
had  been  patiently  toiling  by  the 
side  of  her  husband  in  that  far-off 
land,  strengthening  him  for  duty  by 
her  heartfelt  sympathy  and  indom- 
itable courage,  and  when  with  ach- 
ing hearts  they  were  obliged  to 
relinquish  their  beloved  field  of 
labour,  it  was  still  her  care  to  sooth 
and  quiet  the  troubled  mind  of  the 


CONCLUSION.  167 

invalid.  Two  little  graves  tliey  left 
behind  them,  in  which  two  sweet 
infant  daughters  had  been  laid  with 
many  tears  to  their  dreamless  sleep. 
One  little  son,  of  two  summers,  was 
then  sleeping  in  the  arms  of  Hannah 
Wood,  who  had  become  so  tenderly 
attached  to  Alice,  that  she  could  not 
brook  the  idea  of  a  separation,  and 
who  applied  herself  with  such  dili- 
gence to  her  studies  that  she  was 
sent  out  to  Syria  as  a  teacher.  A 
tried  and  faithful  friend  she  proved 
herself  to  be  in  every  enjergency. 
Two  years  after  the  death  of  Mr. 
Rosedale,  Charles  Willard  visited 
Herb  vale.  He  had  just  returned 
from  England,  where  he  had  faith- 
fully executed  the  trust  confided  to 
him  by  his  father.     It  was  at  that 


168  ALICE   KOSEDALE. 

time,  after  having  been  introduced 
to  many  of  the  first  families  of  the 
old  country,  for  his  ancestors  were 
some  of  these,  that  he  made  choice 
of  the  unassuming  Alice  Rosedale 
as  his  companion  for  life.  He  had 
watched  her  day  by  day,  in  the 
faithful  performance  of  the  most 
common  duties  of  life,  as  a  daughter, 
a  sister,  a  teacher,  and  a  philanthro- 
pist in  the  highest  sense.  Never 
for  a  moment,  had  he  seen  her  out- 
side of  her  proper  sphere  of  labour. 
Her  attire  was  ever  neat  and  becom- 
ing, but  simple  and  inexpensive. 
He  had  seen  her  strict  economy 
in  the  management  of  her  father's 
household,  and  her  large  benevolence 
in  every  good  cause.  Being  a  man 
of  sense,  he  was  well  aware  that  it 


CONCLUSION.  169 

would  be  impossible  for  her  to  be 
so  systematic  in  the  latter  without 
constant  attention  to  the  former. 
As  a  whole  he  had  seen  her  endeav- 
ouring to  bring  her  conduct  up  to 
the  standard  of  the  word  of  God, 
and  although  some  failures  were 
risible  to  hi^  eye,  and  oh !  how  many 
more  to  her  own  consciousness,  he 
rightly  judged  that  he  must  look  far 
for  a  more  consistent  life.  Her 
mental  riches,  he  felt,  were  im- 
measurably beyond  any  amount  of 
mere  personal  beauty,  as  they  in- 
crease in  value  by  constant  use, 
while  beauty  soon  decays.  On  the 
other  hand,  he  was  not  attracted  by 
the  outside  glitter  of  mere  accom- 
plishments.    Of   the    etiquette    of 

fashionable    life,    she    was   almost 
15 


170  ALICE   ROSEDALE. 

wholly  ignorant.  She  felt  that  life 
was  too  real,  too  earnest,  too  short, 
to  be  frittered  away  at  the  toilette, 
the  piano,  elaborate  embroidery, 
or  in  the  crowded  ball-room.  It  is 
true  she  was  a  highly  skilled  musi- 
cian, and  her  thoi'ough  knowledge 
of  that  sublime  art  and  one  other^ 
enabled  her  to  furnish  a  comfortable 
home  for  her  father  and  brother  in 
their  days  of  adversity.  But  her 
practice  was  confined  to  a  stated 
portion  of  each  day,  and  for  the  time 
her  whole  attention  was  given  to  it 
as  to  a  pressing  duty.  Added  to 
this,  there  had  never  been  any  effort 
on  her  part  to  attract  attention. 
Were  young  ladies  aware  that  this 
can  never  have  any  other  effect  upon 
the  minds  of  those  they  most  wish 


coNCLusioisr.  171 

to  please  than  to  produce  disgust,  it 
is  believed  that  during  their  school 
days  and  early  womanhood,  their 
attention  would  be  more  generally 
confined  to  their  studies,  and  that 
they  would  think  less  of  the  extrav- 
agant adornment  of  their  persons, 
and  more  of  the  real  ornament  of  a 
well  stored  mind.  Alice  had  then 
no  particular  preference  for  Herb- 
vale  as  a  place  of  residence.  Her 
father  no  longer  required  her  atten- 
tion, and  her  brother  was  happy  in 
his  rising  family.  She  had  been 
rather  dispirited  since  the  death  of 
her  father,  and  had  sought  direction 
to  some  new  field  of  usefulness  from 
above.  Then  she  cast  her  care  away, 
believing  that  she  would  be  directed 
in  the  path  of  duty. 


172  ALICE    ROSEDALE. 

She  was  sitting,  one  evening, 
alone  in  her  brother's  parlour, 
(during  a  short  visit  of  the  latter 
and  his  family  to  Riverside,)  when 
Charles  Willard  entered  unan- 
nounced. Alice  rose  to  receive 
him  with  the  sincere  cordiality  and 
unembarrasment  which  had  ever 
characterized  her  acquaintance  with 
him,  and,  deeply  regretting  her 
brother's  absence,  endeavoured  to 
make  his  visit  as  agreeable  as  pos- 
sible, and  to  prove  to  him  that  he 
was  really  welcome  to  her  brother's 
home.  When  she  ascertained  that 
his  visit  had  special  reference  to 
herself,  it  cannot  be  denied  that  a 
matter  so  important  caused  her 
much  trepidation,  but  she  was  soon 
as  calm    and  collected    as   before, 


conclusiojS'.  173 

when  Mr.  Willard  proposed  that  they 
should  unite  in  prayer  that  they 
might  receive  divine  direction  in 
this  eventful  period,  and  then,  ris- 
ing to  depart,  requested  her  to  in- 
form him  of  her  decision  by  letter 
after  giving  the  subject  due  con- 
sideration. This  was  the  com- 
mencement of  a  friendship,  as  pure, 
as  lasting  and  as  precious  as  has 
ever  beautified  this  world  of  ours 
since  the  exodus  of  our  first  parents 
from  Eden.  A  year  later  and  their 
work  had  been  appointed  them,  and 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Willard  were  on  their 
way  to  the  Holy  Land.  "With  what 
emotions  did  they  press  the  sod  over 
which  their  Redeemer,  in  the  days 
of  his  flesh,  had  passed  before  them ! 

It  gave  them  a  new  impulse  in  their 
'  15* 


174  ALICE    ROSEDALE. 

labours  amid  the  worse  than  heathen- 
ish darkness  of  the  place  of  their 
mission.  A  happy  home  was  theirs, 
as  happy  as  it  well  could  be  amid 
the  vicissitudes  of  this  changing  life, 
and  when  they  were  obliged  to  leave 
their  home,  their  work,  and  the 
graves  of  their  children,  to  return  no 
more,  both  felt  it  to  be  the  deepest 
sorrow  of  their  lives. 

Yet  in  that  calm  evening  on  the 
Mediterranean,  with  the  beautiful 
canopy  above  them  and  the  restless 
waters  underneath,  they  were  in- 
spired with  fresh  hope  and  courage. 
*' You  will  revive  again  in  the  air  of 
your  native  land,  my  husband,  and 
our  Father  may  have  yet  an  import- 
ant work  for  you  there,"  said  Alice. 
And  her  words  were  prophetic.    The 


CONCLUSION.  175 

air  of  England,  where  they  spent  a  few 
months  with  relatives,  seemed  to 
revive  his  failing  strength,  and  they 
embarked  in  a  homeward  bound 
steamer  with  bright  hopes  for  the 
future.  They  were  approaching 
Newfoundland  when  a  dense  fog 
enveloped  the  vessel,  and  the  cap- 
tain knew  that  they  were  not  far 
distant  from  dangerous  shoals. 
Every  precaution  was  taken  for 
their  safety,  but  a  fearful  storm 
arose,  and  the  vessel  was  wrecked. 
0  the  horror  of  that  hour  when  death 
was  staring  the  affrighted  mariners 
in  the  face  !  Oaths  were  exchanged 
for  prayers  for  mercy.  The  hard- 
ened and  unconcerned  were  pale 
with  terror,  and  some  were  rushing 
wildly  from  place  to  place  in  the 


176  ALICE   ROSEDALE. 

fast-sinking  vessel,  as  if  bereft  of 
reason.  In  that  terrible  hour,  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Willard  stood  hand  in 
hand  upon  the  deck,  deeply  aflfected, 
yet  calmly  trusting  in  the  Lord. 
The  little  boy  was  firmly  lashed  to 
his  father,  and  with  life  preservers 
securely  fastened,  they  awaited  the 
fearful  moment  when  the  frail  wreck 
must  be  deserted.  ' '  If  this  ocean  is 
to  be  our  grave,"  said  Mrs.  Willard, 
"  it  is  sweet,  my  husband,  to  go 
home  together."  ^'  And  the  passage 
will  be  short  to  our  Saviour's  man- 
sion," replied  her  husband.  Did 
they  regret  in  that  solemn  hour  any 
sacrifices  that  they  had  ever  made 
for  God?  No!  They  rather  felt  had 
they  a  thousand  lives,  they  would 
give  them  all  away  for  the  privilege 


CONCLUSION.  177 

of  labouring  for  Him  who  had  so 
loved  them  as  to  redeem  them  with 
his  precious  blood.  He  who  is 
mighty  to  save,  interposed  with  his 
strong  arm ;  he  rolled  away  the  clouds, 
the  winds  abated,  the  sinking  frag- 
ment of  a  vessel  was  stayed  until 
the  boats  could  be  got  out  and 
manned,  and  although  the  breakers 
made  the  passage  to  shore  danger- 
ous in  the  extreme,  yet  they  all 
reached  land  with  their  lives,  a 
short  time  before  the  wreck  went 
down.  Nothing  was  saved  from  the 
wreck ;  many  had  lost  their  all,  as* 
was  the  case  with  our  missionaries, 
yet  grateful  hearts  poured  forth 
ascriptions  of  praise  that  dreary 
night  on  the  shores  of  Newfoundland 
for  the  blessing  of  life. 


178  ALICE   ROSEDALE. 

A  few  days  later  and  a  joyful 
group  were  assembled  in  Alfred 
Rosedale's  parlor.  The  wreck  of  the 
steamer  had  been  reported,  and  not 
the  number  of  the  saved.  Great 
anxiety  had  been  felt  as  to  the  safety 
of  their  friends,  which  had  been  re- 
lieved by  their  arrival. 

The  children  seized  the  little 
Charlie  and  rejoiced  over  him  as 
only  children  can,  while  their  se- 
niors had  much  of  mutual  interest 
to  relate. 

^^Charles,"  said  his  friend,  ^'youhave 
returned  at  precisely  the  right  time. 
You  once  refused  a  call  to  settle  in 
Herbvale,  but  I  hope  you  will  not 
do  so  as^ain.  We  are  without  a 
pastor.  Our  beloved  Mr.  Anson 
breathed  his    last  yesterday.     He 


coisrcLusioT^.  179 

has  been  faithful  in  every  good  word 
and  Work  until  the  last  hour,  but 
he  has  passed  away,  and  we  cannot 
recall  him.  He  has  gone  up  higher. 
My  friend,  there  is  a  great  work 
to  do  in  our  growing  town.  The 
attention  of  the  careless  is  aroused, 
and  the  church  is  praying  for  a 
blessing.  Even  now  are  their 
prayers  partly  answered,  for  you 
have  been  rescued  from  a  watery 
grave  to  help  forward  this  good 
work." 

And  so  it  was.  On  the  next  day 
Mr.  Willard  addressed  the  deeply 
solemn  crowd  assembled  to  pay  the 
last  sad  rites  to  their  beloved  pastor, 
and  they  felt  that  he  had  received 
an  unction  from  above.  The  Spirit 
was  poured  out,  sinners  were  awak- 


180  ALICE   ROSEDALE. 

ened,  and  everywhere  the  earnest 
cry  was  heard,  '^What  must  I  do 
to  be  saved?"  Mr.  Willard  re- 
ceived, and  immediately  gave  an 
affirmative  answer  to  a  call  to  settle 
with  the  people  as  their  pastor.  And 
there  were  they,  at  home  again,  with 
their  dearly  beloved  people,  and 
under  circumstances  the  most  cheer- 
ing that  can  be  presented  to  the 
Christian  heart.  It  was  hard  work 
for  them  to  meet  all  the  calls  upon 
their  time,  but  they  laboured  joyful- 
ly in  the  blessed  work.  Mrs.  Wil- 
lard immediately  gathered  around 
her  the  anxious  of  her  own  sex,  and 
thus  the  arduous  toils  of  her  hus- 
band were  relieved.  The  faithful 
Hannah  Wood  was  a  most  welcome 
assistant  to  Mrs.  Willard,  both  at 


CONCLUSIOIS^.  181 

home  and  in  her  labours  abroad. 
Her  heart  was  filled  with  joy,  for 
among  the  earliest  converts  were 
her  two  brothers,  who  had  been  ap- 
prenticed to  trades  during  her  ab- 
sence. For  months  the  work  was 
increasing.  Help  was  implored 
from  the  neighbouring  churches, 
and  freely  granted.  The  church  at 
Herb  vale  received  large  accessions. 
It  was  a  solemn  day,  when  one  hun- 
dred persons,  mostly  youth,  stood 
up  and  took  the  vows  of  God  upon 
them,  as  the  first  fruits  of  this  re- 
vival. 

The  parsonage  at  Herb  vale  was  a 
beautiful  dwelling  in  a  lovely  situa- 
tion. Mrs.  Anson  had  carefully 
cultivated  the  rarest  flowers  around 

the    house,   but    the   circumstance 
16 


182  ALICE    ROSEDALE. 

which  most  endeared  it  to  Alice, 
was  the  fact  that  it  stood  on  the 
exact  site  of  the  poor  widow's  cot- 
tage in  which  she  had  laboured  as 
a  Sabbath-school  missionary  in  her 
girlhood.  It  was  one  delightful 
evening  in  the  summer  succeeding 
their  return,  that  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Willard  sat  alone  on  the  piazza  of 
their  dwelling,  enjoying  the  glories 
that  surrounded  them.  The  full 
moon  Avas  rising  in  the  east,  casting 
its  mellow  beams  over  the  landscape ; 
stars  twinkled  faintly  in  the  azure 
sky.  The  breeze  that  fanned  their 
cheeks  came  laden  w^ith  the  rich 
perfume  of  the  honeysuckle,  and 
other  fragrant  flowers  around  them, 
and  the  scene  was  so  calm,  so  peace- 
ful and  so  beautiful  that  for  some 


CONCLUSION.  183 

time  neither  spoke,  completely  ab- 
sorbed in  its  loveliness  and  the 
melting  reminiscences  it  awakened. 
Presently  the  clock  on  the  church 
tower  chimed  forth  the  hour  of  nine. 
Awaking  from  his  reverie  Mr.  Wil- 
lard  exclaimed,  "  Surely  the  lines 
have  fallen  to  us  in  pleasant  places  ; 
this  is  a  sweet  place  to  rest,  my 
Alice."  ^' Yes,"  she  replied,  "and 
a  sweet  place  to  labour  also."  "  La- 
bour is  rest  in  this  world,"  replied 
her  husband,  "  if  it  be  labour  for 
the  good  of  souls  to  which  you 
allude.  We  have  seen  enough  of 
this  world  of  change  to  know  that  it 
is  not  the  place  for  tranquil  rest. 
We  must  look  higher  for  that.  But 
it  is  a  blessed  privilege  to  live  and 
labour  for  so  good  a  Master  as  ours. 


184  ALICE   KOSEDALE. 

Our  church,  at  present,  is  in  a  pros- 
perous   condition.     It    is    easy  to 
preach  when  the  people  are  so  ready 
to  hear;  but  think  you,  we  can  labour 
as  willingly  and  as  earnestly  when 
trials   come?    These  new  converts 
must  be  faithfully  dealt  with.     The 
word  of  reproof  must  sometimes  be 
given,  as  well  as  the  smile  of  appro- 
val.   Our  motives  may  sometimes  be 
misunderstood  ;  will  not  that  be  dis- 
heartening?"    ''  It  should  not  be," 
replied  his  wife.     ^'  My  life  has  led 
me  through  deep  trials  and  bright 
joys,  but  I  must  say  to  the  praise 
of  Him  who  has  been  my  support, 
that  no  condition  can  be  miserable 
to   the   Christian.     I    can  imagine 
how  it  might  be  perfectly  easy  for 
the  martyrs  for  the  truth  to  sing 


COXCLUSIOX.  185 

praises  in  the  flames.  Christ  formed 
in  the  soul  the  hope  of  glory,  rids 
one  of  self,  and  makes  him  see  events 
only  as  they  refer  to  his  Master's 
praise.  In  that  condition,  trials  and 
joys  are  alike  acceptable,  since  they 
come  from  a  loving  Father's  hand. 
This  feeling  of  perfect  resignation  to 
the  will  of  God  relieves  the  Chris- 
tian from  the  intense  longing  for 
the  rest  of  heaven,  which  otherwise 
might  be  too  strong  for  his  useful- 
ness. It  gives  its  proper  fleetness 
to  the  length  of  human  life,  and  is 
contented  to  patiently  await  the  end. 
That  this  is  fast  and  surely  approach- 
ing cannot  be  kept  too  strongly  im- 
pressed upon  the  mind,  therefore,  let 
us  work  while  it  is  day,  knowing  that 
16* 


186  ALICE    ROSEDALE. 

the  night  cometh  in  which  no  man 
can  work." 

In  this  spirit  they  lived  and  toiled, 
and  God  crowned  their  efforts  with 
signal  success.  Yet  when  the  last 
honest  hour  came,  they  each  ex- 
claimed with  a  full  heart,  "We  are 
unprofitable  servants,  having  done 
only  what  it  was  our  duty  to  do.  Not 
unto  us,  0  Lord,  but  unto  thy  holy 
name,  be  ascribed  the  honour  and 
glory  of  our  salvation  for  ever  and 
ever." 


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